Clearing out the Clutter

Wednesday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back.  A very happy Wednesday to you all.  Who had a good Valentine's Day?  Who doesn't want to talk about it?  BDH had a very nice birthday, thank you all so much for your good wishes.  Little Buddha has started asking about his birthday party, but I had to remind him that his birthday isn't until this fall.  He seemed accepting of that, as he does of all things.  Okay, enough with the birthday talk.  Grab yourself a medium DD, and let's clear out a little Clutter.

It looks like no one wants to fight over payroll tax cuts, unemployment benefits, or Medicare cuts in an election year, as Democrats and Republicans seem to have come to an agreement on all three issues.  I'm confused, policy can be advanced without threatening to shut down the government?

The Obama administration recovered a record $4.1 billion in health care fraud money last year.  I expect this to somehow turn into a GOP claim that the administration has done nothing on this front.

Mitt Romney's problems continue, as a new poll shows his favorability is dropping with GOP voters.  That's the price to pay when you're seen as an inconsistent politician who can't win a primary without drowning his opponents in negative ads.  That would seem to be why Romney's in so much trouble in his home state of Michigan right now.

Maybe I'm being too hard on Mittens.  Let's see what this new ad from a pro-Romney Super PAC has to say:

 

Here we have Rick Santorum's tasteful response:

 

As pressure grows for Maine to reconsider the results of their recent caucus, I'd like someone to make a move to reconsider the usefulness of caucuses in general, because they're not smelling like roses so far this year.

Elizabeth Warren ripped into Senator Scott Brown for Brown's support of a proposed radical anti-choice bill that would allow any employer to deny coverage for contraception in their health insurance plans if they find it objectionable.  As out-of-touch with the mainstream as this bill is, Brown's support is actually a consistent position for him.  He sought to weaken the now-state law that would have required all hospitals to inform rape survivors about the existence of emergency contraception and to provide it upon request when he was a state senator. 

Meanwhile, the very notion that the GOP would go all-out with their attempts to turn the clock back 50 years on such a basic issue as birth control just highlights the fact that now that the economy is improving, they have nothing else to work with except for hoping culture wars will come through for them again.

I'm sorry, what is this Mormon custom of posthumously baptizing people of other faiths?  Does that mean I can convert every Mormon to an atheist after they die?

I'm a bit of a gym rat, but it's not because I need huge muscles popping through my shirt like The Rock.  It's because I need to keep this large brain powered to keep clearing through all this Clutter that accumulates each day.  Can you imagine what would happen if this gigantic head wasn't operating at peak performance?  It would be chaos!  Yeah, that's the ticket.  Chaos!

Justin Bieber's not my cup of tea, but cheers to the singer for making a sick young girl's dream come true.

Now that David Ortiz is set with his contract for 2012, ESPN's Tim Kurkjian explains Big Papi's value to the Boston Red Sox:

 

Legendary Boston Globe sport columnist Bob Ryan will be retiring later this year.  That will be the end of an era in local sports.

The Tampa Bay Rays signed manager Joe Maddon to a new three year deal.  Given what a great job Maddon does with that team, he should have the option of coming back every year for the next 10 years.

We all know the odds are pretty good that Peyton Manning isn't coming back to the Indianapolis Colts next year, so there was really no reason for Colts owner Jim Irsay to throw Manning under the bus by saying it's entirely the quarterback's decision.  The more Irsay speaks, the longer I think it will take the team to become a viable contender again.

Just stop talking.  (pic via bleacherreport.com)

Singer/scumbag Chris Brown doesn't care if you don't approve of him, because he's got a Grammy now, so he wins. 

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  We had a new theme song for Rick Santorum, what last week?  I think it's time to choice one for Mittens this week.  Adele is the talk of the town after her terrific performance at the Grammys on Sunday, so perhaps this cover of hers would be a good fit for the Romney campaign.  Check out today's, "Song of the Day" and tell us what you think:

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you as always.  Today's going to be a low-key day at Clutter Headquarters after yesterday's rager for BDH, but you're welcome to hang out with us if you like.  Otherwise, we'll see you for more fun in the sun tomorrow.  For now, today's Clutter is cleared.

Tuesday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back.  You have great timing, because the party is just about to begin.  That's right, today's the birthday of our very own BDH!  The little guy joined Clutter Headquarters one year ago today, though it's hard to imagine there was ever a time when he wasn't the king of this place.  He's been a wonderful addition to this place, and a good friend to both Little Buddha and me.  Buddha will turn 20 years old later this year, but I swear he's been smiling just a little more since BDH came to town.  Happy Birthday!  Let's celebrate by grabbing a medium DD and clearing out some Tuesday Clutter.

The GOP wants nothing to do with another payroll tax cut fight, offering to extend the cut through the rest of the year without offsetting budget cuts.

Rick Santorum now leads Mitt Romney in a new national poll of GOP voters.  At what point can we start describing Santorum as the "front-runner?"  Adding insult to injury, another poll has Santorum leading Mittens in Romney's home state of Michigan.  Perhaps that's due to the fact that Romney still supports bankruptcy for the auto industry.

Apparently Santorum may have a problem with women voters.  They tend not to respond well to candidates who object to birth control, women serving in the armed forces, and women being in the workplace.  I wonder how he feels about letting them vote in the first place.

The conservative magazine National Review is calling for Newt Gingrich to drop out of the race.  Spoilsports.  Newt says he's not going anywhere, at least until the Super Tuesday primaries on March 6th.  Excellent, the show continues.  Can Gingrich stage his third major comeback of this cycle and perhaps bring his sponsor Sheldon Adelson back into the fold?

Scary to hear that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer was robbed at knife-point while on vacation.  Thankfully no one was harmed.  Where was his security detail?

Doctors say they've reduced damage to a heart attack survivor's heart by using his own stem cells.  That's amazing.

Big Papi's contract saga is finally over.  He and the Red Sox agreed to a one-year deal for $14.575 million before yesterday's scheduled arbitration hearing.  I'm sure he's disappointed that it's not a multi-year deal, but at this point, he's going to have to accept the fact that he'll need to earn his salary on a year-by-year basis if he wants to stay in Boston.  Otherwise, he'd be looking at a serious pay-cut with another team.  Now that this drama is over, how about we finally figure out what Theo Epstein's departure is worth to the Sox?

Time to get to work, big guy. (pic via myspace.com)

Pitchers and catchers report in five days(!), but Jon Lester is already hard at work and ready to move on from last year.  Hopefully the rest of the team will follow his lead.

Randy Moss wants to return to the NFL.  He's indicated a desire to come back to the New England Patriots, but hopefully the Patriots will continue to not return the sentiment.  Even if Moss still has something in the tank after taking last year off, the Pats don't need that kind of distraction on the team.

For those of you who are interested in such things, the 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover photo has been revealed.

Doctor Who meets Star Trek?  That sound you hear is the brains of millions of sci-fi fans exploding.  Okay, that's a nasty image.  Let's move on.

I was disappointed with last night's How I Met Your Mother episode, which I thought had two serious plot flaws.  Robin's boyfriend proposes, and she doesn't respond immediately.  She tells Lilly and Marshall that she can't have kids, and she has to tell the boyfriend that before she answers.  They show Robin and Kevin having this serious talk (though we can't hear what's said), and he still wants to marry her.  It's only what appears to be several days later that she tells Kevin not only can't she have them, she doesn't want them in the first place.  Judging by Kevin's response, this is the first time she's said that.  Hi, kind of an important point to bring up during that previous conversation.  The show ends with them breaking up and Ted saying he's still in love with Robin.  We already know Robin's not "Your Mother," so I've already lost interest in this plot-line.  We have a rare misfire here.

Community is on hiatus, but the show can't be dead yet, since they just signed John Hodgman to appear in an upcoming episode.

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  We have to get back to celebrating BDH's birthday.  For those of you who can't join us in person, the celebration will look a little bit like today's, "Clip of the Day."

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you as always.  It will be an all-day party here today, so feel free to come back later if you like.  Otherwise, we'll see you all again tomorrow for more fun and randomness.  For now, today's birthday Clutter has been cleared.

Happy Birthday, BDH!

Saturday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back, how are you?  I had a great time at Buffalo Wild Wings last night.   There was great company, good wings, and no one told me that they have trivia there.  Questions about random movies and songs?  Sign me up!  Our team won an extremely competitive round that seemed to have something like 400 questions.  It was all good fun, but now it's time to turn the page, so grab yourself a medium DD, and let's clear out a little Saturday Clutter.

Mitt Romney described himself as a "severely" conservative governor at the Conservative Political Action Conference yesterday.  That sounds like a life-threatening condition.  It also sounds like an awkward guy desperate to fit in with the cool kids.

President Obama announced yesterday that religiously-affiliated employers won't have to offer birth control coverage in their employees health insurance plans, but the health insurance companies will have to offer it directly to the employees free of charge.  The devil is in the details, but if it all works out, women will still have increased access to contraception, and Mitt Romney is now on record as seemingly anti-birth control.  That's a pretty extreme position, which will likely be highlighted in many ads between now and November. 

Women's health groups support the compromise, but 0f course, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops immediately complained about the plan, which just highlights their disconnect from society on this issue, given the fact that 98% of their parishioners use birth control.

Note to the cable networks:  Your audience would be better served if you didn't have women serving as only 1/3rd of your commentators on this issue. 

Unless something changes this weekend, Big Papi David Ortiz and the Red Sox will go to arbitration on Monday, which would be the first time the team has done that in 10 years.

Can Boston Red Sox stats guru Bill James convince the Baseball Writers of America to see former Red Sox outfielder Dwight Evans as a Hall of Famer?  He certainly has plenty of charts to support his case.

A Hall of Famer? (pic via thefastertimes.com)

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski had surgery yesterday to repair some torn ligaments in his ankle.  Recovery time is about 10 weeks, so you know Gronk will be ready to wreak havoc again next season.  No one stops Gronk.

He'll be back.  (pic via espnboston.com)

Cheers to Kevin Faulk if this is the end of the line for the Patriots running back.  The man was a sure-handed as they get, and as far as I can tell, successfully converted 99.9% of the third down situations he was ever involved in over his 13 year career.

Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers called out his team after a deflating 86-74 loss to the Toronto Raptors.

Congratulations to Phantom of the Opera, which will have its record-setting 10,oooth Broadway performance today.

The first video off of Bruce Springsteen's new album has been released.  I'm not sure why they show the lyrics here.  The Boss is pretty easy to understand, and it sort of makes it look like a karaoke video, but it's still a good song:

 

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  I think 10,000 performances deserves some special recognition, so why don't we have Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman take us out with today, "Song of the Day" from Phantom of the Opera:

 

 Thanks for stopping by, it was great to see you as always.  I'm not sure if we're actually going to get some real snow, or if it's just going to be rain all day, but drive safely wherever you're going today.  We expect to see each and every one of you back here for more fun soon.  Until next time, today's Clutter is now 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.

Tuesday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back, how are we all doing?  Yesterday was a challenge.  It's much harder to do my cardio workouts at the gym when I can't watch ESPN at the same time.  However, life goes on, and we will get through this.  The pressing issue of today for me is that Van Halen's, "A Different Kind of Truth" has already been downloaded onto my iPod.  However, even that won't stop me from doing my first duty, which is to review today's headlines.  Yes, my friends, we're just that dedicated here.  So, help yourself to a medium DD, and let's clear out a little Tuesday Clutter.

For those who don't already know, BDH's birthday is a week from today, and I'm still looking for a present for him.  Please email us at bitsofclutter@gmail.com if you have any good suggestions.

Have we really reached a point in our society where the GOP is criticizing a commercial featuring Dirty Freaking Harry Clint Eastwood celebrating the rescue of a major American industry?  Why do the Republicans hate America?

Yesterday's Clutter asked if Rick Santorum could really have another go around as the "Anti-Romney candidate."  Mittens is clearly wondering the same thing, since he sent his surrogates after Santorum yesterday.

While that was being dealt with, Romney went after the Obama administration for having the gall to require that health insurance plans include contraceptive coverage.  Mitt joined the bandwagon claiming this violates the 1st Amendment, though I don't see any women being forced to use contraceptives, church plans are exempted, and 98% of catholic women already use them, so...there's that.

Mittens wasn't done attacking women's health though, saying he thought the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation was right to stop providing grants to Planned Parenthood.

Michele Bachmann:  I was the perfect candidate, America just couldn't figure that out.

Dear Congress, instead of posturing over where welfare recipients can and can't spend their money, how about putting some effort into jobs bill, and improving the economy in general?  Sorry, I almost forgot, the only thing more important than not fixing the economy is making sure the top 1% don't pay another dollar in taxes.  Silly me.

Here's a policy proposal:  If you're a public official who thinks an article from The Onion is a real story, perhaps you should resign immediately, because you clearly aren't up for this job.

Former Representative Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) doesn't understand how anyone could think his campaign ad featuring a Chinese-American woman speaking broken English could even begin to think it's racist.  No word on whether his next ad will feature someone in blackface comparing his opponent to President Obama.

 

Former House speaker Sal DiMasi is on his way back to Massachusetts, and apparently it's making some people nervous.

Research indicates there are no positive outcomes from spanking your kids.  Yeah, seems like it should be pretty clear that if you teach a child that the adults who are supposed to protect them the most end up striking them, there might be some harm done there.

Man, I hate the break between the end of the football season and the start of the baseball season.  I'm rudderless.

This has not been a good season for NCIS, even though the ratings are still strong.   There was a major plot thread in the season opener that seemed to clearly indicate this was a two-part episode.  However, the conclusion came months later, and by then it was difficult to remember exactly what happened in the season premiere.  The next episode after that was the season opener again.  Who scheduled this?  It also seems like there have been all of five original episodes this year.  Having said all of that, tonight's 200th episode seems like fun.

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  I can resist the call of Van Halen no longer.  However, while I'm off, lost in a sea of rock magic, let's have the Foo Fighters take us out with a, "Song of the Day" that feels like it hits close to home these days:

 

Thanks for stopping by, my friends.  It was great to see you as always.  Let's all meet back up here and do this all over again real soon, assuming I ever get around to turning off my iPod.  Until next time, today's Clutter has been cleared.

Sunday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back, come on in.  The big day is here!  First we have Puppy Bowl VIII, and then Tom Brady and the New England Patriots finally take on the New York Giants.  It's funny, the two weeks between the AFC championship game and the Super Bowl really didn't seem all that long, but now that we're just a few hours away, it seems like an eternity.  There's only one thing we can do right now.  That's right, say it with me...grab yourself a nice medium DD, and let's clear out some Super Bowl Sunday Clutter.

Okay, let's try to stay focused here and check out today's headlines....as soon as we look at the lineup for the 2012 Puppy Bowl!

These guys are all stars! (pic via starcasm.net)

Okay, now I'm ready.

Mitt Romney became the first GOP candidate to win consecutive primary contests, scoring a solid win, as expected, over Newt Gingrich in Nevada yesterday.

There's one subject where Mitt Romney is a man of his word:  He sure does love to fire people.  This time it was the poor sap who was hired to improve Romney's debate performances and then fired because someone felt he was getting too much credit for doing his job.

The 2012 GOP ticket.  (pic via shakespearessister.com)

The news gets worse for Newt Gingrich:  His sugar daddy Sheldon Adelson is starting to hint that  he'll support Mittens whenever Newt drops out.

Is U.S. Senator Scott Brown the only GOP member of Congress trying to look like he's best friends with President Obama?

No, Senator, I do not want to take a ride in your truck. (pic via acclaimimages.com)

Everyone is talking about the upcoming Facebook IPO, but here's why it might not be as great of an investment as you might think.  Proceed with caution, my friends.

The CDC suggests that all boys between the ages of 11 and 21 should receive the HPV vaccine.  It will be interesting to see if this recommendation causes nearly the same controversy that the recommendation for girls did.

Time for a Puppy Bowl break!(pic via tv.com)

Jody Kristofferson has signed a developmental deal with the WWE to be a pro wrestler.  Jody is the son of legendary singer Kris Kristofferson, and reports so far indicate that he could be the real deal.  I wonder if he'd use one of his dad's songs for an entrance theme.

Could there still be a chance for the Boston Red Sox to sign free agent pitcher Roy Oswalt?

Congratulations to former New England Patriots running back Curtis Martin on being elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame yesterday.

I can't imagine what a blow it must be to be cut from the team less than 24 hours away from the Super Bowl, but that's what happened to New England's Tiquan Underwood.

Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers makes his Super Bowl prediction.

Boston Globe football writer Christopher Gasper says the New York Giants have turned into the New York Jets, and that's just fine for the New England Patriots.  (The Giants certainly are eager to declare themselves champions.)

New England Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski is ready to truly fill the shoes of Adam Vinatieri if that's what it takes to win today.

Vince Wilfork is ready to go.  I'm starting to get goosebumps.

Okay kids, I have to go hit the gym and burn off some of this energy before I go totally nuts.  Before I go, though, let me make my own prediction.  I've seen some in the media trying to turn the New York Giants into the new version of the 1985 Chicago Bears.  I think the Giants are starting to believe that themselves, and they do so at their own peril.  Let's not forget, they were a 9-7 team during the regular season, and they earned every bit of that record with two losses to the lowly (5-11) Washington Redskins and one to the (7-9) Seattle Seahawks.  Yes, they've played well to get here, but you know what, so have the Patriots, who haven't lost a game since November 6th, when the Giants beat them by all of four points.  

When you add the significant improvement of the New England defense since then, the fast tempo that I expect the Patriots to play at for four quarters, the fact that Gronk is going to be on the field (and I think going to surprise people with his effectiveness), and the fact that Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have had two weeks to prepare for the chance to avenge their loss of four years ago, mix it all together, and sprinkle in a healthy dose of the Giants believing their own headlines, I think you get a 27-20 win for New England. 

And on that note, we'll let Tom Brady take us out with today's, "Clip of the Day."  Have a great day, my friends.  Have fun tonight, wherever you watch the game, and be safe.  We expect to see each and every one of you back here tomorrow for more fun.  Go Patriots!!!

 

Friday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Happy Friday to you all.  Come on in.  It's amazing how quickly this week went by, yet it still feels like it's taking forever for the Super Bowl to get here.  BDH and Little Buddha are getting stir crazy, but they'll survive.  Maybe we'll watch Puppy Bowl reruns until Sunday.  For now, make yourself comfortable, grab a nice hot medium DD, and let's clear out some Friday Clutter.

There is only one way for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation to repair the incredible damage they've done to their reputation:  Stay out of political battles and restore the grants to Planned Parenthood to pay for breast exams.  It's really that simple.  Each denial by the organization that this was a political decision only further undermines their credibility.

I still can't believe that Donald Trump endorsed Mitt Romney for President yesterday.  Actually, what I really can't believe is that Romney sought the endorsement.   With polls showing that only 13% of voters say The Donald's endorsement would make them more likely to vote for a candidate (sorry, make that 8%), what's the appeal here?  Yesterday's Clutter talked about Romney's ongoing struggle to connect with people who aren't rich, and with all due bias, it's a serious weakness of his.  First there's the incredibly low tax rate, followed by Swiss bank accounts, followed by saying he doesn't care about the poor, and now, he's joined at the hip by a man who's best known for saying, "You're Fired."  I can't even begin to imagine what he was thinking.  How long do you think it took the DNC to put together this add?  We'll set the over/under at 15 seconds:

 

Romney has attacked President Obama for requiring all health plans, including those for Catholic organizations, to include free contraceptive coverage, even though Romney himself previously angered those organizations on a similar issue when he was governor.  I've covered this issue before, so we won't get into that again now, but I was struck by this quote from Matt Smith, who apparently runs some conservative Catholic advocacy organization.  Smith said he supported Romney, noting, "“You better hope that he’s going to stay true to his word.’’  Dear Mr. Smith, good luck with that, because the record has shown that there's no reason to believe Mittens will stay consistent on any issue.

Could the disaster that is the former Filene's site in Downtown Crossing finally move forward?  A new developer has big plans for that pit.

Will this crater finally disappear? (pic via boston.com)

A new study suggests that sugar should be regulated like alcohol and tobacco.  Read this article before you laugh that off.

How much do you think Facebook makes off of you per year?  My guess is that the answer will surprise you.

Bad news for the New York Giants:  Gronk returned to practice yesterday.

A New York bar is banning the sale of Sam Adams during the Super Bowl.  That's fine, their patrons will need something good to drink after the game to drown their sorrows.

Well, this is interesting:  Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning has been medically cleared  by his doctor to play in the NFL again following his latest neck surgery.  I still think the Colts have already made the decision to move on, but what will Manning do now?

Boston Red Sox pitcher/new father Josh Beckett says he's ready to go for 2012.  I hope he's got a chip on his shoulder.

Carl Crawford, on the other hand, is being sued by a friend who claims Crawford and his brother stole his life savings.

Sorry to hear that hockey legend Gordie Howe is suffering from the early stages of dementia.

Van Halen threw a private show Wednesday night to celebrate the upcoming release of, A Different Truth, next Tuesday (in case you hadn't heard) and showed they can still bring the goods.

It looks like word is getting out about How I Met Your Mother being appointment television, as the show's ratings are up 19% over last year.  Welcome to the bandwagon everyone.  Hop on, there's plenty of room for everyone!

Okay folks, that's going to do it for now.  It's been ten years since the New England Patriots won their first Super Bowl.  They were underdogs then, like they are now, and we know how that turned out.  So, as we wait for the big game on Sunday, let's take a look back at how this dynasty run began with today's, "Clip of the Day."

 

Thanks for stopping by, my friends.  It was great to see you as always.  It's supposed to be cold today, so try to stay warm, get some work done, and then we'll meet back here again for more fun and randomness.  For now, today's Clutter has been cleared.  Later.

Standing up for Planned Parenthood

I'm still trying to process my disappointment with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation's decision to cave to anti-choice extremists and stop funding breast cancer exams at Planned Parenthood.  There's part of me that wants to believe it's some odd prank, and I'm just missing the punchline.  It so goes against the Foundation's supposed mission statement that the word "fraudulent" keeps coming to mind.  My Facebook news feed was filled with outraged now-former Komen supporters who have vowed to never give or raise money for them again.  It's heartening to hear that donations to Planned Parenthood have spiked since the announcement was made.

Having advocated on these issues for years, there's always a fear of sounding like a broken record if you keep talking about the same anti-choice opposition that's attacking women on a daily basis, but something like this really brings the point home.  It's truly no exaggeration to say that the anti-choice extremists who applaud this move truly do not care if low income women die if it furthers their agenda.  They are so focused on destroying a woman's right to control her own health, that they don't miss a beat if that means that some women, whose only access to health care may be the nearest Planned Parenthood clinic, aren't able to access tests and services that could be the difference between their life and death.

After all this time, I still struggle to understand who these people are.  What has happened to them to engineer such hatred towards women that they would pursue such a damaging agenda, and make no mistake, it's a movement founded on hatred.   The notion that these rage-filled fanatics can create enough pressure to create a policy change like this, from a supposed ally in women's health, is a wake-up call for every rational person out there.  You have to get involved.  You have to take an active role in saying, "This is not okay.  This stops now."  You can't just pay lip service to it.   There are many ways you can get involved.  Contact the Komen Foundation and tell them to reverse this shameful decision.  Give Planned Parenthood a donation.  Sign their petition.  Tell your friends to do the same.  Do it now.

One other thing, guys, this includes you.  Support your wife/daughter/mother/sister/friends.  Stand up and be heard.  These people are coming after your loved ones, and they're not going to stop unless you add your voices.  United, we can make it clear that we will not tolerate attacks on women's decisions about their own lives.  There's a role for each and every one of us in this campaign, and there's no better time to start than right now.

Wednesday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back.  The calendar says it's February 1st already.  Where does the time go?  I guess we better get to work, so grab yourself a medium DD, and let's clear out some Clutter.

It's extremely disappointing to hear that the Susan G. Komen charity has caved to anti-choice extremists and stopped providing grants to Planned Parenthood for breast exams for low-income women.  How misguided.  As if cancer cares if you're pro-choice or not, as if it cares where you go for your exam.  Shameful.  You can click here if you want to make a donation to Planned Parenthood in support of these important services.

Mitt Romney crushed Newt Gingrich in yesterday's Florida primary, beating Gingrich 46-32%.  Is this the tipping point of the race, or can the Newt find a way to revive his campaign for the third time this cycle?  Meanwhile, Romney is off to Minnesota to try to win the endorsement of former opponent/Tea Party hero Michele Bachmann.  With any luck, Bachmann will be an active surrogate for Romney and tell us more about how vaccinations cause mental retardation.

The GOP Florida primary has been judged, "the most negative campaign ever."  With 92% of the ads being negative, you sort of wonder why the candidates even bothered with the 8% that were positive.  Maybe that's part of the reason that yesterday's turnout was 15% lower than in 2008.

John McCain may have endorsed Mitt Romney this year, but a former McCain aide is warning Mittens to back off a bit on Newt Gingrich.  John Weaver says the last thing Romney needs is for Gingrich to feel like he's got no way out.

Eugene Robinson asks a great fundamental question:  What exactly does Mitt Romney believe in?   I don't know anyone who can legitimately claim to know the answer to that.  The best that his supporters can come up with is, "He's a rich guy who is not President Obama, and that's all that matters."  Maybe this video will clear things up:

 

At least Mitt's being honest about one thing:  He doesn't care about the very poor.  So if you're one of those bleeding hearts who think the president should be looking after the most vulnerable members of our society, he's not your guy.

Condolences to the family and friends of Massachusetts Governor's Councilor Kelly Timilty who died yesterday at age 49.

Rocker Neil Young is working on building his own electronic music device that takes forever to download a song, but sounds much better than anything else out there right now.  Can he find a large market where people will pay for quality over convenience?

For those of you looking for a birthday present for me (two weeks from today, but who's counting), please don't get me a sloth.

McDonald's will stop adding ammonium hydroxide (otherwise known as "pink slime") to their burgers, citing, "a focus on food safety."  Yeah, that seems like a good reason to stop.  I haven't eaten at McDonald's in 20+ years, and I'm pretty sure that a new-found focus on food safety won't be breaking that streak anytime soon.

You want a Big Mac with your pink slime? (pic via wavy.com)

Clutterheads, maybe I should have asked this before the pink slime story, but who wants to meet up at the new local taco/tequila bar?

The big Super Bowl news of the day is that Gronk is out of his walking boot.  That's got to be both a step in the right direction, and likely a hint that he's actually a machine who was just fitted with a new leg attachment. (As an aside, how many of you can tell me who Ryan Mallett is without clicking the link?)

He'll be back on Sunday, dude.  (pic via providencejournal.com)

New England Patriots wide receiver Chad Ochocinco talked about the challenges of bringing nothing to the table this year.  I still say he can have a JD Drew moment if he does anything memorable in the Super Bowl.

The Dice-K comeback begins, as the Boston Red Sox pitcher threw yesterday for the first time since having Tommy John surgery last June.

I've always been under the impression that Saturday Night Live contracts are extremely long and hard to get out of, so I'm wondering what Paul Brittain did to warrant being "released immediately."  In all fairness, I will probably have forgotten about him before today's Clutter is over.

SNL alums Dan Ackroyd and Will Farrell are teaming up with Zach Galifianakis on a political comedy.  This could be pretty funny, or it could be utterly horrible.

Paul who?

HBO's, Game Change, with Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin, looks like fun:

 

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  We're four days away from seeing exactly how well Rob Gronkowski is able to perform, so why don't we let him take us out with today's, "Clip of the Day."  Given that he's clearly been playing with a broken neck for weeks now, a little high ankle sprain isn't going to stop him:

 

Thanks for stopping by, my friends.  It was great to see you as always.  Have a good one, and make sure to come back soon, because there's always more Clutter to clear.  Later.

Tuesday Clutter

Hi everyone,

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(pic via bostondirtdogs.com)

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

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

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

 

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

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

 

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