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.

Wednesday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back to Clutter Headquarters.  How are you?  How's your week going so far?  I'm expecting things to be a little crazy, starting today through Friday, so let's get to work.  Help yourself to a nice medium DD, because it's time to clear out some Clutter.

Clutterheads, I make no claim to be anything other than a bandwagon hockey fan come playoff time.   Now, I know names like Chara, Bergeron, Seguin, Marchand, Thornton, and Rask, (and would recognize them), but I'm don't pay attention until I get sucked in for some reason...like, say, the B's coming back from a 4-1 deficit in the third period to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 of their playoff series.  Yeah, that will do it. 

I was minding my own business and reading increasingly angry Facebook status updates from my hardcore hockey fan friends, until there started to be a slight turn in sentiment.  "What the f*&*, you jerks, I can't believe you're going to blow this again," turned into, "Oh my god, what's happening here?"  That was enough for me to tune in to see Patrice Bergeron score the game-tying goal, and then follow it up with the game winner a few minutes later.  It was great to see the Garden rocking, and I felt relieved that I wouldn't have to open up a suicide hot-line for those friends after all.  So, now it's time for the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, and there's nothing I love more than watch Boston beat New York in anything.  Make room on the bandwagon!

That's just awesome.  (pic via espn.com)

Just like that, the 2013 fiscal deficit projection has been lowered by 24%.  Can't wait to hear conservatives claim that the Congressional Budget Office is a tool of the White House.  Actually, I can wait, because it's a tired bit of nonsense, but that's obviously never stopped them before.

I'm certainly glad to hear that Kermit Gosnell was found guilty of the charges against him.  The man deserves to be locked away for the rest of his life.  However, I'm uncomfortable with a possible death penalty being used to pressure him not to appeal the ruling.  Gosnell is a monster, but it was still up to the government to prove it, and if they made some material errors, shouldn't that be challenged?  Now, if they didn't, great, the verdict stands, as I hope it does, but I'm uncomfortable with the government saying to anyone, "We promise not to kill you if you promise not to challenge us."

It was incredibly brave for actress Angelina Jolie to write about her preventative double mastectomy.  I hope this helps other women who are dealing with this issue.

A new study says people should cut back on their excessive salt intake, but that maybe they don't need to cut it out completely.  Okay, well, since the average American consumes 1100 mg more sodium than they need on a daily basis, cutting back at all seems to be a good place to start.

Someone's proposing to build residential units in Allston that are 240 square feet?  Wow.  You know whoever lives there will have to focus on continually clearing out the clutter.  (See what we did there?  We're so clever.  Moving on...)

Wait, wait, wait, wait.  Benedict Cumberbatch's mother has appeared on Doctor Who?  I think my head just exploded. 

Sorry to hear that Bill Hader is leaving Saturday Night Live after this week's season finale.  Hader consistently brings the goods, whether he's playing Stefon the New York City correspondent, or Al Pacino, or some creepy game show host.  That's going to be a loss for SNL, but every departure is an opportunity for another cast member to step up.  (Jesus, I sound like Anthony Robbins.)  There had better be one last Stefon guide to NYC on Saturday, but for now, let's take a look back at some of the fine establishments he's promoted over the years:

 

This is going to sound much ruder than I mean it to, but I totally saw Your Mother's face on Monday!  It was a brave move for the How I Met Your Mother's producers to reveal the mom with one more season to go.  I figured they would have saved it for the last few episodes of the final season, but as we all know, the show will be back for one more year, and I'm looking forward to it.  After many misgivings, I trust this crew to wrap this story up correctly.

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  I think we should close things out today with one last look at Patrice Bergeron's game-winning OT goal on Monday.  It will never get old, and it's our, "Clip of the Day."  Enjoy:

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you, as always.  We'll be around later, so you're free to come back if you want to watch the Red Sox take on the Tampa Bay Rays.  Otherwise, be good, and we'll see you again soon.  For now, that's today's Clutter, and we are outta here.

Saturday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back!  How are you?  What's the plan for the weekend?  I'm off to Mom Clutter's house to help her with some errands for Mother's Day.  BDH and Little Buddha assure me they'll be well behaved while I'm gone and just keep an eye on everything, so I feel good about that.  However, we have some business to take care of first, so help yourself to a nice medium iced DD, and let's clear out a little Clutter.

The Boston Red Sox looked to starting pitcher Jon Lester last night to help them get back on a winning track.  Lester responded by being just one batter short of a perfect game, as the Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-0.  It was both an outstanding performance in its own right, and it was also so clutch, as it gave the recently battered bullpen the night off and a chance to get themselves back together.  Now it's Clay Buchholz's opportunity to silence Toronto broadcasters Jack Morris and Dirk Hayhurst by shutting the Jays down again.

Cheers to Judge Edward Korman for not backing down an inch on his order that the Obama administration allow emergency contraception to be sold without an age restriction.   It's nice to see that someone is putting public health and science before politics. 

Good for Boston College for not caving in to Cardinal Sean O'Malley after he announced he'll be boycotting the school's graduation ceremony because the featured speaker is Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny.  What's Prime Minister Kenny's mortal sin, you may ask?  Why, he supports legislation that would make abortion legal in Ireland when there is "a real and substantial threat to the mother's life" including from suicide.  That bastard.  Seriously, Cardinal O'Malley is making a fool of himself with his mysoginistic stand, and cheers to BC (which still has an administration that is hostile to sexual health) for ignoring him. 

Sorry to hear that Malcolm X's grandson was killed in Mexico.  Wait, this is the grandson who set the fire that eventually killed Malcom's wife Betty.  He sounded like a troubled kid.  That's too bad.

I'm just hopeless when it comes to dogs (in case you hadn't already figured that out.)  I'm taking the T home to Clutter Headquarters, and this woman and her dog get on the train.  He was a little thing by my foot, and I must have been petting him for five minutes before I remembered to ask the owner if she minded me doing that.  BDH says it's better to offend the owner by petting the dog than offend the dog by not petting him/her.

Wait a second, can Facebook make you psychotic?

David Ortiz isn't done with Dan Shaughnessy yet.  Big Papi basically called the lazy Boston Globe writer racist for implying that Ortiz is using steroids because he's from the Dominican Republic. 

Color me impressed:  Major League Baseball suspended an umpire for two games for getting a fundamental rule of the game wrong.  I'm trying to remember the last time I heard of an umpire being held publicly accountable for anything.

Sports Illustrated model Kate Upton is gorgeous, but besides that, this is one of the sexiest things a woman can ever say:  "I love my body. It's what God gave me! I feel confident with myself, and if that inspires other women to feel confident with their bodies, great."  There's nothing more attractive than a women who is comfortable in her own skin, whatever her body type.

Fairly attractive.  (pic via andrewmorel.com)

Oh, hold on a second, I better set the DVR for tonight's Doctor Who before I forget.  Okay, that's better.

Just to be clear, Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman died from liver cirrhosis, not from a spider bite.

I think I liked Thursday's season-finale of Community more than most of the reviewers.   I mean come on, how am I supposed to say no to "Evil Annie" played by Alison Brie?  It felt like a series finale to me, but I haven't given up hope on a fifth season yet.

A vision in red.  (pic via zap2it.com)

Wait a second, wait a second, wait a...second.  Is Jack Bauer coming back?  I don't even know how to deal with this.

Hey, we have breaking news.  Look's like Community will be back!

 

5th season

— Joel McHale (@joelmchale) May 11, 2013

 

 

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  Let's have Danzig close things out for us with his song, "Mother."  I don't think it really has anything to do with Mother's Day, but it's still awesome, and it's today's, "Song of the Day."

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you, as always.  Enjoy the rest of your day, and I'm sure BDH and Little Buddha would love to hang out with you tonight if you're around.  Otherwise, be good, and we'll see you back here again for more fun soon.  For now, 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 surviving another week.  What's that you say?  Why yes, the Clutter Tree does already look a little fuller after yesterday's rain, thanks for noticing.  It still clearly needs some more water though, so here's hoping more is coming over the next few days.  In the meantime, help yourself toa nice medium iced DD, and let's close out the week with a little Clutter.

BDH would like you all to know that a new study indicates that owning a pet may reduce your chances of heart disease.  I know I've certainly improved my cardio health since this little guy arrived, thanks to all of the chasing around Clutter Headquarters that Little Buddha and I have to do with him  every day!  By the way, Little Buddha says that he may not run around as much as a dog, but he's pretty sure looking at his smiling face every day is good for the heart, and I'll back him up on that one.

Anyone who thinks for a second that the GOP actually cares about covering people with pre-existing conditions, should never be able to vote again.

Glad to hear that Tamerlan Tsarnaev has finally been buried somewhere.  Too many people embarrassed themselves with their protests, and their reactions to said protests, over this issue.

It was so sad to read this story about a 12-year old boy who was killed after being struck by a van.  I've often ridden my bike through that area, and that intersection always makes me nervous with cars coming from a number of different angles.

If you're one of the 48% of the country who doesn't own stocks right now because you're unemployed, or struggling just to get by right now, that's one thing, but if you're not invested because you're still "spooked" by the 2000 tech crash or the 2008 meltdown, get over it and get back in the game.  You can achieve remarkable results with relatively little money if you've got enough time, but you've got to be invested first before that's even a possibility.

Among the many disappointing aspects of Wednesday's Boston Red Sox 15-8 loss against the Minnesota Twins was the fact that David Ortiz failed to get a hit for the first time in about five years.  I'm telling you, that totally shook my understanding of the world.  However, Big Papi had other things on his mind, blasting Boston Globe yahoo Dan Shaughnessy for a column suggesting Ortiz is off to such a great start this year because he's on steroids.  Ortiz has every right to be pissed.  I won't link to the article (but you can get to it if you click the link in this paragraph), but Shaughnessy makes a wild accusation, has no proof to back it up, says "everyone" is talking about it, and fails to name a single other person talking about it besides him, and slanders Big Papi because that's his schtik.  It's pathetic.

Is the Joel Hanrahan era already over?  The Boston Red Sox reliever is off to see the grand poo-bah of sports injuries, Dr. James Andrews of Birmingham Alabama, to see if he needs surgery on his injured right arm.  The best case scenario is that he doesn't need it, but even then he'll still be out at least two months.  It's too early to panic just yet, but fixing the bullpen has suddenly become a major concern for general manager Ben Cherington.

So long?  (pic via boston.cbslocal.com)

I know I've said this before, but I generally have less respect for umpires than any other officials in professional sports.  I think many of them are divas who somehow think that anyone bought a ticket to see them instead of the players.  If I was more generous, I'd say they have tough jobs and are subjected to constant criticism, but then I go back to being snarky and saying they don't make good arguments for themselves when they review a home run call on television and still get it wrong.

Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder says his team will never change its racist name.   Apparently it's the "great tradition" of insulting an ethnic group that Snyder will defend with his last breath.  He knows full well he'd never call a Native American that word to their face, and if there's any justice, he'll lose the lawsuit against the name and have to pay through the nose for it.

With Mother's Day right around the corner, it seems only fitting that we pay tribute to some of the great moms of Doctor Who.

NBC has started cancelling some shows, but Community isn't on this list, and I can't say I care about the rest of the programs, so..so far, so good?

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  In case you don't have any puppies to chase around right now, you can at least enjoy this clip of a bunch of bulldog puppies chasing their mom around.  It just shows that a mother's work is never done.  So, in early celebration of Mother's Day, enjoy today's, "Clip of the Day."

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you, as always.  Enjoy the rest of your Friday, and if you want to hang out again later today, you know where to find us.  For now, 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.

Thursday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back to Clutter Headquarters, one and all.  BDH and Little Buddha have been waiting for you, and they've already got the coffee ready, so help yourself to a nice medium iced DD, and let's clear out a little Thursday Clutter.

The advocacy organizations that sued over access to emergency contraception will apparently go back to the courts if the FDA doesn't drop their age-restrictions.  Good for them, we shouldn't be letting politics trump public health concerns.

Congratulations to Representative Ed Markey for winning Tuesday's Democratic primary for the open U.S. Senate seat formerly held by Secretary of State John Kerry.   Markey takes on the Republican nominee Gabriel Gomez, and I'm sure he won't take anything for granted between now and the general election on June 25th.

Also congrats to State Representative Linda Dorcena Forry for winning the Democratic primary for the 1st Suffolk Senate seat on Tuesday.  Clutter has known Rep. Forry since before she won her current seat, and there is no doubt she'll do an outstanding job, once she defeats the Republican nominee in the general election on May 28th.  This seat has long been held by Irish-American men from South Boston, and the idea of it moving to a Haitian-American woman from Dorchester simply reflects the ever-changing make-up of this great city.

How frightening is it that the GOP is pushing gun legislation that even the NRA says is based on fiction.  Think about that for a second.  How disconnected from reality do you have to be to propose an idea that's so extreme that even the country's biggest weapons trade organizations says, "Yeah, that's a little too much for us to support."  Should we be pushing for mandatory mental health services for some of these guys?

Hey, if investors want to "sell in May and go away," I'm more than happy to go shopping in the stock market this month.  Go right ahead folks, sell everything you want, so I can go looking for some bargains.

I should be able to drink a Sam Adams "Boston Strong" beer without guilt, since 100% of the profits are going to charity, right?

Clutterheads, there are two main reasons that BDH, Little Buddha and I love hanging out with you every day.  First off, you're outstanding company, and we love having you here.  Second, our daily meetings give us a chance to discover outstanding news stories that we might otherwise have missed.  Case in point:  An article that demonstrates how Van Halen explains the federal government, and nails it.  Where else would you have seen this?  Just here, my friends.  Just here.

The owner of the Chicago Cubs says he'll consider moving the team out of Wrigley Field if they don't get approval for a bigger scoreboard.  Something tells me he should beef up his personal security before thinking seriously about that move.

Hey, the soap operas All My Children and One Life to Live made their online returns from the dead this week, and so far, the results seem promising. 

Monty Python's Flying Circus alum John Cleese continues to brings his one-man show to places that aren't Boston.  What has to happen to change this situation?  Come on, man.  I've met Michael Palin and Eric Idle, I doubt Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam are ever going to  be hanging out around here, and Graham Chapman is probably still dead.  I want Basil Fawlty to come to town!

Don't be skeptical, a trip to Boston would be awesome!  (pic via dangerousminds.net)

Two days until the next Doctor Who episode.  Not sure what to make of this one yet, but trying to keep an open mind about it:

 

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  It pains me that John Cleese seemingly refuses to visit these parts, but he's still one of my favorite actors.  No one does anger better than Cleese, as you'll see in today's, "Clip of the Day."  My favorite skit is either the slaughterhouse or the restaurant.  What's yours?

 

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

Wednesday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back.  How are you?  What's the latest?  This string of gorgeous weather continues, though the Clutter Tree really could use some extended rain to fully pop into its full glory.  I trust that will come soon enough, so in the meantime, help yourself to a nice medium iced DD, and let's kick off the month of May with a little Wednesday Clutter.

New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte continues to face withering criticism for her negligent vote against background checks for gun purchases.  This time, it was the daughter of a Newtown victim asking Senator Ayotte to defend her position.  The response was lacking, to say the least. 

BlackBerry couldn't make a tablet work, so their CEO says he thinks tablets will be obsolete in five years.  That may very well be him just spinning his company's failure, but on the other hand, the way technologies evolve these days, maybe he'll end up right in the end.

Failed vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan still can't bring himself to see same-sex couples as worthy of being able to get married, but now he thinks they should be able to adopt children?   He's right, they should be able to, but is Representative Ryan hoping that if he changes on this issue, everyone will leave him alone about the issue of marriage and just take his word for it that the GOP is a more inclusive party now?

The Obama administration still can't quite get it together on contraceptive issues.  A judge orders the FDA to get rid of their arbitrary minimum age limit of 17 years when it comes to selling emergency contraception (EC), and so the FDA responds by moving EC to over-the-counter status, but you still have to prove that you're 15 years old or older.  So, if you're a 14 year old who is in an emergency, you're just out of luck?  Let's review again, access to contraception for teens isn't about encouraging them to have sex.  It's about encouraging those who do to be safe, and making sure that we are doing everything we can to prevent unintended pregnancies, besides just keeping our fingers crossed and hoping everything works out if they just say no.

Congress fixed the FAA sequestration problems because it impacted them directly, thus continuing their long-standing tradition of only giving a damn about things that would make their own lives more difficult.  As always, Jon Stewart nails the cluelessness involved here.

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 I think the world in general shows little compassion to obese people, so why should doctors be any different?  Of course, I don't generally find doctors to be that empathetic, so maybe it's a double whammy here.

"Dr. Doom" says the next two years will be great for stocks, and then we're heading for a disaster after that.  As you know, Clutter has a 30+ year time-frame for stocks, so all we're hearing if this guy is right is that two years from now will be one huge sale.

Boston Red Sox reliever Joel Hanrahan is back from the disabled list, but he's lost his closer job for the time being.   Current closer Andrew Bailey handled his pre-season demotion very well, saying all the right things and just going out there and doing his job, and Hanrahan seems prepared to do the same, now that the positions are reversed.   What do you think the odds would have been of this going so smoothly last year?  Honestly, there's probably only one real way to definitively settle this:

Steel cage match!  (pic via cbssports.com)

Red Sox manager John Farrell says outfielder Shane Victorino is expected to return soon after dealing with some lower back issues.  I know what a drag those can be, so here's hoping the "Flyin' Hawaiian" is ready to go this week.

The New England Patriots released guard Brian Waters, after leaving him hanging on their reserve/did not play list last season.  Waters apparently wanted a raise after his first season with New England, and you know how well things turn out for players who fight Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft over money.

Doctor Who has a new executive producer.  Should I be excited about this?  I guess it will be 2014 before we see the results, so Clutter will hold off on judgment until then.

Happy belated birthday to Willie Nelson!  The country music legend turned 80 years old yesterday.  That's wild.  I would have said 75 at the oldest.  Here's to he and "Trigger" making great music for many more years to come.

Which member of 'N Sync did Pink go out with?  (Don't even bother pretending that you're not going to click on that link.  We don't judge here.)

Who caught her eye back in the day? (pic via alblebanon.com)

It's May, and you know what that means:  Arrested Development is back!

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  I think we'll let the birthday boy close things out for us today.  Kids, I'm telling you, if you're not a Willie Nelson fan, you're really missing out.  I once saw him in concert with Dad Clutter, and it was awesome.  The man can work a guitar like you wouldn't believe, and that voice...that voice is just awesome.  Here's Willie Nelson with one of my favorite tunes of his for  today's, "Song 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 again for more fun soon.  For now, that's today's Clutter, and you are always on our mind, but we are outta here.

Tuesday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back, come on in.  How are you?  How's your week going so far?  Monday seemed a little crazier than usual, though no harm done.  It ended nicely as I went to the Rattlesnake Bar and Grill with my friends Kate and Weber.  It's been about a year since the last time I was there, and I must have made quite an impression, because they put me (and Kate) on their homepage.  Can you find us? 

After that, we took a walk through the Boston Marathon bombing memorial on Boylston Street, which was moving.  I can handle flowers and balloons, but all of the teddy bears got to me a bit.  I gave BDH and Little Buddha a hug and a kiss when I got home, and that was that.  It's looking like another gorgeous day outside, so help yourself to a nice medium iced DD, and let's clear out a little Tuesday Clutter.

Congratulations to NBA center Jason Collins for becoming the first athlete from one of the "big 4" leagues to come out as an openly gay player.  It took a lot of courage for the former Boston Celtic to step forward, and here's hoping that he's made it easier for others to do the same.  Cheers, sir.

For all of you Massachusetts Clutterheads, don't forget to vote in today's U.S. Senate special election primary.  It will be a low turn-out day, so your vote counts even more than usual.  I will be voting for Representative Ed Markey to replace John Kerry.   It comes down to two things for me.  First, Congressman Markey has a consistent record of supporting women's health for over 30 + years, and second, he voted for the Affordable Care Act, and neither of these things are true about his Democratic opponent.  Whoever your candidate, and whatever your reasoning, please take the few minutes that are required to express your opinion.

This is interesting, New York is considering raising the legal age for smoking from 18 to 21.  What do you think, Clutterheads?  If the drinking age is 21, why should smoking be any different?

I'm glad to see that New Hampshire's Kelly Ayotte isn't the only senator to face a backlash after voting against background checks for gun purchases.  I just hope this criticism is sustained and has lasting consequences for those who would object to such a basic public safety measure. 

Sorry, still thinking about those teddy bears:

Listen to the bear.  (pic via bostonglobe.com)

Big Papi says he won't let personal issues get in the way of his job, and given the way he's crushing every pitch he sees, I wouldn't bet against him, would you?

I hear that the New York Jets finally abandoned their ill-fated Tim Tebow experiment.  I can't imagine who would really want the guy at this point.  As much as I generally love the Boston Globe's Chad Finn, his suggestion is awful.

Oh, I had so much fun watching the classic Doctor Who adventure, "The Pyramid of Mars" Sunday night as part of BBC America's ongoing tribute to the 50th anniversary of the show.   This adventure featured Tom Baker, who was "my" Doctor, and I was immediately a kid again right from the start.  The entire show was slower-paced, with cheesy production values, and so much scarier than the modern day episodes.  Tom Baker was funny while not being cute, and constantly reminded the viewer that The Doctor is an alien.  Baker and his longtime companion Elisabeth Sladen had terrific chemistry, and they both looked on the verge of cracking inappropriate smiles at times.   It was a great trip down memory lane.

The best pairing ever?  (pic via frenchfriedgeek.com)

Arrested Development announced another guest star.  Do you like this choice?

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  It certainly wasn't surprising to hear that Van Halen recently brought the house down during their appearance in Australia.  What was unexpected was the apparent formation of a new supergroup called "Kings of Chaos," which features Matt Sorum, Duff McKagan and Gilby Clark (Guns 'N Roses), Joe Elliot ( Def Leppard), Sebastian Bach (Skid Row), Steve Stevens (Billy Idol) and Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple.)  I don't know if this is more than a one-off thing, but here they are with today's, "Song 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 again 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.  How are you?  What's the plan for today?  BDH, Little Buddha and I are looking forward to watching the Red Sox this afternoon, but there's work to be done before that.  Help yourself to a nice medium DD, and let's clear out a little Saturday Clutter.

The Boston Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-4 last night in what had to be the most exciting game the Sox have played in at least 1.5 years.  They left 15 runners on base, which is a problem, but the pitching was solid, it seemed like everyone chipped in offensively, and there remains a good sense of hustle and urgency to the team (while batters are also showing more discipline at the plate than last year.)  Add in the Toronto fans lustily booing their former manager John Farrell all night, and it was a lively night.   It's great to see the Sox still in first place, and hopefully John Lackey's return to the majors after his Tommy John surgery will go well. 

The Red Sox have found a replacement for their late announcer Carl Bean, who died last year.  Well, three replacements.

Kansas passed a bill that would limit the ability of poor women to obtain an abortion, prevents students from receiving information to help them make healthy decisions, and defines life at conception, which will presumably be the foundation of their next personhood campaign in order to eventually outlaw all abortions.   Because really, why should all women be able to make their own medical decisions, and who needs healthy kids, right?

On the flip side, cheers to the federal judge who ordered the FDA to make emergency contraception available to women of any age without a prescription.  The age restriction was based on politics instead of health care policy, and it was always disappointing that the Obama administration would have taken that path.  This is an important step forward in the ongoing campaign to reduce unintended pregnancies.

Here's an interesting take on President Obama's strategy with his proposed Social Security cuts.

Clutterheads, you all know that Clutter runs on Dunkin Donuts, but we're mostly talking about the coffee here.  I'll have a blueberry muffin now and again, and there are times I have a craving for a glazed stick, but that's it.  I haven't had any of their breakfast sandwiches, because they don't look appealing to me at all, and I love a good egg and cheese on a bagel.  So,  I'll stick with my medium coffee, and maybe one of you can tell me how bacon and eggs on a donut tastes, okay?  In fact, if you eat this thing and want to send in a review, we'll be happy to post it.

Just looking at the picture adds the pounds.  (pic via eater.com)

Doctor Who's first-ever director says the show is too sexy.  I would say it simply reflects an evolution in the times since the show debuted 50 years ago.  Tell you what, I'll watch tonight's episode and report back tomorrow on whether or not it's too sexy.  Oh, the sacrifices I make for all of you.

Too sexy?  Please.  (pic via imdb.com)

Okay kids, the Red Sox game is about to start, so that's going to do it for now.  I'm thinking that it's been too long since we had Pink appear in these parts, and there's no time like the present to change that, so here she is, with Nate Ruess, with today's, "Song of the Day."

 

Yeah, that's better.

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you, as always.  Enjoy the rest of your day, and you know you're welcome to come back if you want to hang out and watch tonight's Doctor Who.  Otherwise, be good, and we'll do this again soon.  For now, that's today's Clutter, and you don't need to give us a reason, because we are outta here.