Hi everyone,

Welcome back!  How are you?  I'm still following directions from my medical team (i.e. BDH and Little Buddha) and trying to take it easy.  I think I sound and feel a bit better than I did yesterday, so hopefully this cold will wrap up soon.   Speaking of wrapping, if anyone has any ideas about Christmas presents for the guys, drop us a line at bitsofclutter@gmail.com.  I'd love to surprise them with something that's not on their lists.  Oh, here they come.  It looks like we've got some coffee, so help yourself to a nice medium DD, and let's clear out some Thursday Clutter.

The GOP's war on voting is driven by the fact that they know they can't win fair elections.  Republican legislators in Wisconsin and Michigan are now taking the next step by passing laws to weaken incoming Democratic officials.  These guys have apparently taken former wrestler/governor Jesse Ventura's old credo to heart:  Win if you can, lose if you must, but always cheat.

Wisconsin voters speak out in support of democracy.  (pic via washingtonpost.com)

Senator Jeff Flake (R-Arizona) is still holding up judicial nominations until there's a vote on a bipartisan bill to protect Robert Mueller.

The stock market was closed yesterday, but it looks like things will remain ugly on Wall Street today, as investors react to the arrest of a Chinese businesswoman that was carried out in Canada at the request of the U.S. government.

Boston Red Sox fans will be happy to hear that the team is reportedly looking to finalize a new contract with Nathan Eovaldi by the end of the week.  The deal is said to be four years/$68 million.  $17 million per year feels just a touch risky for a guy who's had two Tommy John surgeries, but Eovaldi is worth the gamble, and we'd love to see the 28-year-old righty remain in Boston's rotation for some time to come.

The rumors are flying that New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is heading to the Cleveland Browns or the Green Bay Packers.  We can see why the teams  would want to push those stories, since they need something to distract their fans from how badly things are going for their teams at the moment.  However, we're under the assumption (always a risky move) that McDaniels bailed on the Indianapolis Colts job at the last moment because the Patriots promised to make him their next head coach fairly soon.  Still think that's the case, but if it's not, it means the Pats don't have a succession plan for their quarterback or head coach, which would be surprising, since they usually simultaneously balance current and future needs pretty well.

The XFL released the list of the eight cities for their inaugural 2020 season.  Did your city make the cut, and if not, do you care?  Our biggest question remains what the reboot of this league means for the WWE, because even a control freak like Vince McMahon can't micromanage two organizations of this size.

Sorry to hear that professional wrestling legend Tom "Dynamite Kid" Billington died yesterday at age 60.  The Dynamite Kid was an amazing performer in the early-mid 1980's, with an aggressive style that cost him dearly, as he spent his later years confined to a wheelchair.  We read his autobiography years ago, and he seemed like a deeply unhappy man at the time, but hopefully he was able to find some peace.  Our condolences go out to his family, friends, and fans.

We'll mostly be focusing on the Doctor Who New Year's marathon leading up to the special episode that night, but there's a good chance we'll also take in an occasional Twilight Zone story as well.

Rolling Stone TV critic Alan Sepinwall posted his list of the top 20 shows of 2018.  Any thoughts?  Maybe we'll indulge in some binge-watching after the New Year's marathons are over.

Mark your calendars, Neil Gaiman fans:  The second season of American Gods will debut on March 10, 2019.

A new TV show starring Steve Buscemi as God and Daniel Radcliffe as an angel?  We're going to need to see that one.  Miracle Workers debuts on TBS on February 12.  Check out the first trailer:

How soon do you think it will be before some conservative group calls for a boycott?

The band Heart is releasing a live album on January 26.   It's a recording of a 2006 show that features a number of guests, including Alice in Chains, Dave Navarro, and Carrie Underwood, among others.  We've always enjoyed Ann and Nancy Wilson, and this should be good.

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  Let's close things out with one of the most badass performances we've ever seen.  Here's Gretchen Wilson teaming up with Alice in Chains and Nancy Wilson for a terrific cover of the heart classic, "Barracuda," 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, be good, and we'll met up with you again for more fun soon.  Until next time, that's today's Clearing out the Clutter, and we are outta here.