Hi everyone,

Welcome back!  Come on in, have a seat.  We were just watching the plows go up and down the street.  There's definitely some shoveling that needs to happen, but it doesn't look like it should be "that" bad.  Famous last words, right?  BDH and Little Buddha just told me there's a warning about snow squalls later this afternoon, so I'm not sure how that's going to impact today's errands.  Hmm, it's like it's winter or something.  Well, let's see what's going on in today's headlines.  The guys made you some coffee, so help yourself to a nice medium DD, because it's time to clear out some Wednesday Clutter.

We're wishing the best for those of you in the Midwest who are dealing with a brutal cold over the next few days. The high in Chicago today is supposed to be -15 degrees, and Minnesota could reach a windchill of -70 degrees.  Good lord, that's dangerous.  Officials in the region are warning people to stay inside if at all possible.  Bundle up to the extreme if you must leave your house, because frostbite could strike in mere minutes in that kind of weather.

An awful story out of Chicago, as actor Jussie Smollett was reportedly attacked by two men who used racial and homophobic slurs, poured a substance (rumored to be bleach) on him, and placed a noose around his neck on Tuesday.  Smollett brought himself to the hospital, and we hope he recovers quickly and that his assailants are arrested as soon as possible.

Hey, look at that, Michael Bloomberg doesn't like Senator Elizabeth Warren's new proposal to tax the uber-wealthy. Who could have seen that coming?  Between Bloomberg and the condescending Howard Schultz, how about we move on from the billionaires considering presidential bids.  We're pretty sure they aren't looking out for the country's best interests, so much as protecting their own fortunes.  Sound good?  Yeah, let's do that.

No thank you.  (pic via variety.com)

Senator Chuck Schumer announced that Stacey Abrams will deliver the Democratic response to Donald Trump's State of the Union address next week.

A new poll shows voters trust Speaker Pelosi more than Donald Trump. That's going to drive the Great Pumpkin to another Twitter tantrum.

There's an abortion access case before the Supreme Court right now that could effectively end Roe v. Wade. All the justices have to do is refuse to hear to hear a request for an emergency injunction against a Louisiana law that is in explicit defiance of a 2016 Supreme Court ruling.  If the court won't enforce its own decision, it signals that conservatives are free to attack the right to privacy from all angles.  Friends, the judiciary is where the damage from having Donald Trump in the White House will last the longest.  One way or another, he'll eventually be out of the building "relatively" soon.  In a worst case scenario, it's six years from now.  However, we'll be dealing with the extreme right-wing people he appointed to the bench for decades to come.

Facebook has reportedly been paying people to install an app that gives the company almost complete access to the data on their phones. These guys just keep finding new ways to be intrusive.  The app apparently violates Apple's rules, so it's been discontinued for iPhones, but Android users can still surrender their privacy for a $20 gift card.  Wait, did we read that right?  (Double-checks)  Yup, people are selling themselves out for $20 a month.

The NFL cancelled Maroon 5's Super Bowl week press conference because answering questions about other invited performers saying no in support of Colin Kaepernick could be a wee bit embarrassing for the band and the league.

Hey Pink Floyd fans, David Gilmour will be auctioning off 120 guitars for charity in June, so there's your chance to buy some music history.

Problems continue for NCIS: New Orleans with the news that another top executive was fired from the show.  Executive Producer Adam Targum was canned, and it sounds like it was over bullying behavior.  The show's former boss Brad Kern was removed last year after reports surfaced of sexual harassment and racist comments.  We've just gotten into NCIS: New Orleans over the last few months, because it's on for a few hours on Saturday mornings on TNT while we're watering the plants.  While watching a couple of the most recent episodes, it was striking that there seems to be less energy in the stories, and a couple of cast members don't look well.  It's entirely possible we're reading far too much into it, but we wonder if it's because of all of this drama.

It's interesting to hear that pro wrestling star Dean Ambrose plans on leaving the WWE when his contract expires in April, and there are rumors that a number of his colleagues want to do the same.  First, there's always a chance that Ambrose leaving is a storyline.  All things are possible in the world of wrestling.  However, if it's legit, it reflects that there are enough other viable companies for wrestlers to not feel like the WWE is their only option, and wrestlers and fans alike benefit from a healthy marketplace.

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  Let's close things out with some Pink Floyd and, "Wish You Were Here," 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, do whatever you need to in order to stay warm and safe, and we'll meet up with all of you again soon.  Until next time, that's today's Clearing out the Clutter, and we are outta here.