Clearing out the Clutter

Saturday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back, how are you?  How was your week?  What's the plan for this weekend?  I've got a bunch of errands to run, but BDH and Little Buddha just made some coffee, so help yourself to a nice medium DD, and let's clear out a little Clutter first, okay?  Here we go...

For a city that's supposed to be all about brotherly love, Philadelphia was pretty rude to Boston last night.  First, we have the Boston Red Sox losing 6-4 to the Phillies, and Daniel Bard looking lost as a starting pitcher. Bard gave up four runs in the first inning and looked like he'd only been told an hour earlier that yesterday was his turn to start.  Adding injuries to injury, catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia had to be taken out of the game after taking a deflected pitch off of his ear, and outfielder Cody Ross had to leave after fouling a ball of his foot.  Hopefully, both of them will be fine and not miss much/any playing time.  It was nice to see Bobby Valentine finally stand up for his players, when he got tossed in the 9th for arguing a call at first base.  He may or may not have been right on his objection, but the players should appreciate him showing some fire on their behalf.

Next, we have the Boston Celtics, who were leading the Philadelphia 76ers when I went to bed,  but that was not to last, as Boston lost 92-83 to the 76ers to tie up their playoff series at two games apiece.  I don't know if the Celtics just expected the 76ers to curl up into a ball and hide in the corner when they were down by 18, but they better show a consistent killer instinct going forward, or it won't matter whether the Indiana Pacers or Miami Heat make it to the next round.

Wheres' the love, Philly? (pic via susanta.com)

Did I write off Van Halen too quickly?  The band-affiliated website, The Van Halen News Desk  (VHND), says the band's tour isn't dead, it's just resting.  VHND claims that everyone is getting along fine, they just want to avoid burnout, which is why they recently postponed 30 summer tour dates.  Still sounds suspicious, but the site is usually pretty accurate with their news, so here's hoping that's the case with this one.

The Connecticut GOP is once again endorsing for WWE CEO Linda McMahon for U.S. Senate,  though she still has to face former Rep. Chris Shays in a primary.

Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett has gone full-birther and is now threatening to keep President Obama off of the state's ballot.

Why is the CDC recommending that all baby boomers get tested for hepatitis C?

I think I'm missing something here.  Everyone is talking about what a bust the Facebook IPO was yesterday, because the closing price was just about the same as the opening price.  First off, it was the biggest tech IPO and third biggest U.S. IPO ever, so that seems good.  Second, maybe I'm wrong, but isn't the goal to set the IPO price as feasibly high as you can to maximize your revenue stream that day?  I remember the underwriters for LinkedIn's IPO were roundly criticized for setting that price too low, so the only people who made a profit that day were their clients.  What would have been the ideal scenario here?

Cheers to Chicago Cubs reliever Kerry Wood, who retired yesterday.  Wood first came onto the scene in 1998 with a 20-strikeout/1-hit game in his 5th major league start ever.  He looked like he'd be the equivalent of Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander (who almost threw his third no-hitter last night), but injuries took their toll over the years.  Wood went out in style yesterday, striking out the one batter he faced on three pitches and then leaving to a standing ovation at Wrigley Field.  You've got to give him credit, Wood came and left in style.

Kerry Wood says goodbye. (pic via nydailynews.com)

There's a new documentary out about what happens to adult movie stars after they leave the industry. 

Community creator Dan Harmon has been dismissed from the show.  Wait, what?  Oh, that's a drag.  I don't know anything about who's replacing him, but if they turn the show into some generic vanilla comedy about a community college, I'm out.  I'll have to get my Alison Brie fix from Mad Men.  No wonder Thursday's season finale felt more like a series finale.

Alison Brie. (pic via wikipedia.org)

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  Let's have Kerry Wood take us out with his final strikeout for today's, "Clip of the Day."

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you as always.  It looks like it's going to be a nice day today, so enjoy the good weather, and don't forget to come back soon so we can do this all over again.  Until next time, that today's Clutter, and we are outta here.

Friday Clutter

Back in black
I hit the sack
I've been too long I'm glad to be back

The Boston Red Sox pulled out all of the stops last night, using five pitchers to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-3 for a split of their two-game series.  There was also some silliness as the Rays apparently took offense to Adrian Gonzalez saying the night before that he'd hit a home run Thursday, so Rays pitcher Matt Moore drilled him in his first at-bat.  The Red Sox responded by hitting Luke Scott, but one could make the argument that Scott had it coming just for being such a tool.  I like the fact that Boston shortstop Mike Aviles got thrown out for arguing a third strike call in the seventh inning.  The Sox could use a little more fire like that.  Now they're off to Philadelphia to face the Phillies and old friend Jonathan Papelbon as their quest to return to .500 continues.

We're coming, Pap.  (pic via boston.com)

Curt Schilling has made his conservative political views well-known over the years.  He'll decry the need for "smaller government" at every possibly turn, as long as "small government" still includes millions in public loans to save his company.

All I can say about Van Halen suddenly cancelling 30 concert dates is that I'm just glad they made it to Boston first.  Hopefully they'll resolve whatever their current problems are, and if it turns out that David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen aren't meant to be in a band together, maybe Van Hagar can come back for Round 3.  I assume every time I see them will be the last time, which means I've been playing with house money for about eight years now.

This might be the greatest/most-revealing Mitt Romney quote ever:

"I'm not familiar precisely with exactly what I said, but I stand by what I said, whatever it was."

I'm confused, does Chicago Cubs owner Joe Ricketts want to go after President Obama because the President is a Chicago White Sox fan?

President Obama.  (pic via zimbio.com)

Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin really doesn't care if people are upset about him renouncing his U.S. citizenship to avoid paying taxes on his future gains from the company's IPO.  So, at the end of the day, it turns out that Justin Timberlake was the most likable guy from The Social Network.

A new study indicates that "good" cholesterol might actually be more like, "neutral" cholesterol.

The Miami Heat continue to demonstrate that they're the kings of the regular season, but they still disappear when the pressure's on, getting blown out 94-75 by the Indiana Pacers last night in Game 3 of their playoff series.  Indiana now leads the series 2-1, and it seems this is now their series to lose. 

Meanwhile, San Antonio Spurs star Matt Bonner gave playoff tickets to a young fan who had Bonner's face shaved into the back of his head, but was forced to cut his hair by school officials.  It just goes to show that guys from Concord, NH are some of the classiest people you're ever going to meet.

New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma filed a federal libel and slander lawsuit against NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell over the league's handling of the New Orleans "bounty" scandal.  I don't know how strong his case is legally, but if it does succeed, that would seem to be a major blow to Goodell's authority moving forward.  It's something to watch.

How much money does U2 frontman Bono stand to make from Facebook's IPO?  Rather a lot, actually.

RIP Donna Summer.  The "Queen of Disco," died yesterday after battling breast cancer.  The Dorchester native was 63.

Jenny McCarthy is returning to Playboy after 20 years.  I guess she needs a break from her ongoing/widly-discredited campaign to link autism to vaccines.

McCarthy. (pic via inquisitr.com)

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  I hope this isn't the end of the Van Halen/David Lee Roth pairing, but if it is, at least I'll always have their concert from this past March, 'cause that was just awesome.  Let's close out the week with a look back at that show with today's, "Song of the Day."

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you as always.  Have a terrific Friday, and let's all meet back here again for more fun and randomness soon.  Until next time, accept no imposters, there's only one Clearing out the Clutter.  Later.

Thursday Clutter

Here comes the sun (doo doo doo doo)
Here comes the sun, and I say
It's all right

Pitcher Clay Buchholz continues to slowly improve his performances, if you don't count the silly and costly balk nonsense, but it wasn't enough last night, as the Boston Red Sox lost 2-1 to the Tampa Bay Rays. Reliever Franklin Morales caught some of the balk fever last night, adding two of his own to Boston's MLB-leading six.  Seriously, how hard is it to come to a stop and then just throw the ball?  Hopefully Felix Dubront can start a new winning streak (and avoid balking) tonight.

A frustrated and struggling Adrian Gonzalez promises to hit a home run tonight. Hopefully, that's God's plan as well.

The Boston Celtics laid the smack down on the Philadelphia 76ers last night in a way that would have made The Rock proud.  Boston won Game 3 of this series 107-91 by dominating Philadelphia from start to finish.  It was such a humiliation for the 76ers on their own home court, I wouldn't be surprised if they just forfeit the rest of the series.

The Boston music scene took a punch to the gut with brass knuckles, paired with a kick to the groin with steel-tipped boots yesterday with the news that alternative radio station WFNX is being sold to corporate behemoth Clear Channel.  Most of the WFNX staff has already been let go, and whatever Clear Channel has in mind for the station, there won't be anything that distinguishes it from any other station in the country now.  A sad day, indeed.

Mitt Romney started his conversion to a "severe conservative" when he vetoed a bill making emergency contraception (EC) available to sexual assault survivors, because he claimed it went against his anti-choice beliefs.  He might object to it, but that certainly won't stop him from raising money from people who make EC.  I understand someone voting for Mittens because they dislike President Obama, but anyone who votes for Romney because they think he stands for something/anything is a fool.

The House GOP was fine with renewing the Violence Against Women Act as long as it didn't include undocumented immigrants or members of the LGBT communities, because really, that's not real violence, right?

The GOP says they don't want student loan interest rates to spike in July, but they're not actually going to do anything about it.

Chris Matthews is coming to Cambridge on May 22nd to host a panel discussion on the life and impact of former House Speaker Tip O'Neill.  The event is open to the public and looks like fun.

BDH was on the computer while I was at the gym last night (don't worry, I have the family filter setting on), and he found this tremendous interview with the Prince of Massachusetts Political Pups, one Toby G..  He insisted I post it, and we all know that whatever BDH wants, BDH gets.  Check out Toby's Facebook page and Twitter account if you'd like to learn more about this cool pooch.

Toby. (pic via Toby's Facebook page.)

Condolences to the family and friends of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s estranged wife Mary Kennedy, who was found dead yesterday.

If Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin is going to renounce his U.S. citizenship to avoid paying taxes on Facebook's IPO, then Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Robert Casey (D-PA) want to make sure he pays a hefty price for it.

With all the fuss about Facebook's IPO tomorrow, I'd like a check for what I'm worth to the company.  Well, that plus the value of the millions of eyes that are drawn to Clutter's Facebook page.  That only seems fair.

We don't talk much about fashion here, but that doesn't mean we don't care (well, maybe it does a little bit).  That's why Clearing out the Clutter endorses Tyra Banks's endorsement of curvier models.

I don't drink a medium DD daily because I'm addicted and can't imagine functioning in the morning without one.  I drink it because I want to live longer.  Yeah, that's the ticket.

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  We've discussed many times before how jealous I am of musicians in the first 90 seconds of a concert when the crowd energy builds in anticipation and then explodes upon the band's arrival on-stage.  That's got to be one of the biggest adrenaline rushes you can have without the use of illegal substances.  I've got to think that having a sold-out Madison Square Garden crowd sing the opening lines of your song is pretty cool too, which is why Pearl Jam are here with today's, "Song of the Day."  Check it out:

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you as always.  Have a terrific day, and come back for more fun and randomness soon.  Until next time, as a wise man once wrote, that's today's Clutter, and we are outta here.

Wednesday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back.  Come on in, come on in.  Make yourself comfortable.  How's your week going so far?  No complaints here.  It's looking pretty grey outside, and it sounds like we've got more rain coming today, but other than that, so far so good.  BDH and Little Buddha just finished making the coffee, so grab a nice medium DD, and let's clear out some Wednesday Clutter.

He might be a douche, but give me Josh Beckett with a chip on his shoulder any day of the week.  The Boston Red Sox starter pitched seven strong innings, giving up zero runs and striking out nine, as Boston won their fifth game in a row, beating the Seattle Mariners 5-0.  Granted, the Seattle Mariners aren't exactly a "Sluggers Row," but you gotta start somewhere.  Manager Bobby Valentine said after the game that the pitchers were competing with each other, and also, tellingly, that the batters told them to man up (my words, not his).  They've responded well so far, so more of that, please.  Now it's Clay Buchholz's turn to keep the momentum going when Boston takes on the Tampa Bay Rays tonight.

Be cranky all you want, as long as you win.  (pic via bostonglobe.com)

Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis starts his rehab stint today before rejoining the team on Friday.  It will be curious to see what they do with him and Will Middlebrooks, who continues to tear the cover off the ball.  The Sox will have to get Youk some playing time, if for no other reason than to show other teams he can still be productive and demonstrate some trade value.  I thought I'd be a little sadder at the idea of Youk leaving, but this team has turned over so much in the last few years, it just seems like the next chapter.  It won't be the same without seeing him sweating so uncontrollably in the middle of April, but Alfredo Aceves seems ready to pick up the slack there.

The Red Sox had a nice ceremony for "Tim Wakefield Day," but is Wake considering a comeback with Boston?  He clearly still wants to be the Red Sox all-time leader in wins.  This is what he had to say after the game:

“I can’t say yes or no. I can’t deny or confirm that...This is the team that I was going to end my career with, whether it be this past February or this coming October. I’ve worn this uniform a long time and it’s the only one I’d wear from here on out.’’

New England Patriots fans got some great news yesterday when wide receiver Wes Welker signed his one-year franchise tender for $9.5 million.  Welker still wants a longer-term deal (and deserves one), but at least we know he'll be with the team right from the first day of mini-camp.

Welcome back, Wes.  (pic via faniq.com)

Could Mitt Romney possibly be any less excited about being endorsed by former President George W. Bush?  Not that I blame him.  Here's what campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul had to say:

“We’re proud to have the president’s support,” she added, “but he made clear when he left office that he was not going to engage in political campaigns and we have no reason to believe that is going to change.”

In other words, don't call us, W., we'll call you.   My other question here is, what the hell was W. doing giving a speech about human rights yesterday?  What could he possibly have to say on the subject?  His own vice-president seems frightened to travel outside of the country due to the fear of being arrested somewhere for being a war criminal.  Who paid money to listen to this speech?

I wonder if I could get President Obama to do some fund-raising for Clearing out the Clutter.  Apparently, he's really good at it.

The Washington Post has a scathing editorial railing against the blatant homophobia that kept an otherwise qualified attorney from becoming a judge in Virginia.

The House GOP is apparently still eager to hold the nation hostage in order to protect the Bush tax cuts, because that worked out so well for them the last time they did it.  Could it be that they just want to damage the economy to hurt President Obama?  Nawww, that can't possibly be it.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Newark Mayor Cory Booker demonstrated that Republicans and Democrats can work together every once in a while.

Less than 48 hours away from the start of trading, Facebook has decided to increase its IPO by 25%.  It's easy to understand the excitement, but it will be interesting to track the stock price for the first week.  A lot of people will clearly make a lot of money right at the beginning, but will the company be able to sustain its momentum once the novelty wears off?

Slugger Albert Pujol's horrific start with the Los Angeles Angels has claimed its first victim.

Doctor Who actress Karen Gillan wants to appear on Community?  I think my head just exploded.

Iron Man Robert Downey Jr. has 50 million reasons to be happy about the success of The Avengers.  Do you remember when Downey was the poster child for lost actors?  He's bounced back remarkably from those dark days.

You've come a long way, kid.  (pic via gofiggr.com)

Wait, singer Bret Michaels is getting paid because he couldn't figure out how to avoid a giant falling set?  Everyone else in Poison seemed to avoid injury with plenty of time to spare.  He's being rewarded for not paying attention?  How do I get a gig like this?

I thought I had a good idea about who died in last night's NCIS season finale, but now I'm not sure.  (Don't read the article if you don't want to know the semi-spoiler.)

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  Metallica released an album of covers and rarities back in 1998, called Garage Inc.  One of the best songs on the CD is their cover of the Thin Lizzy classic, "Whiskey in the Jar," and thanks to the power of the Internets, I've just discovered there was a video that went with the song, so ladies and gentlemen, I give you today's, "Song of  the Day."

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you as always.  Have a good rest of your day, and be sure to come back again soon.  BDH starts to get anxious when he doesn't see you, and an anxious blue dog is a sad blue dog.  Don't make this blue dog sad.  Come back.  Until then, that's today's Clutter, and we are outta here.

Tuesday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back, come on in.  It looks like a fairly nice day out there right now, though I guess it's supposed to rain this afternoon.  I still can't get over how quickly the Clutter Tree's leaves popped after last week's rain.  Biology is fun remarkable.  Anyway, BDH and Little Buddha are happy as always that you're here.  (You should see how excited BDH gets each morning before you arrive.  Who needs an alarm clock when I have a bouncing blue dog?  Little Buddha just tends to take it all in stride with a big smile.)  They just finished a fresh pot of coffee, so help yourself to a nice medium DD, and let's clear out a little Tuesday Clutter.

Don't look now, but the Boston Red Sox are winning games and winning them quickly.  They beat the Seattle Mariners 6-1 last night, thanks to a complete game gem from pitcher Jon Lester.  The offense came from a number of places, including outfielder Daniel Nava, who hit his first home run since his legendary grand slam on the first big league pitch he ever saw back in 2010.  Nava and Will Middlebrooks continue to light a fire under this team, as the young kids clearly don't want to go back to the minor leagues.  The Sox could certainly use more players like that.  Now it's Josh Beckett's turn on the mound, and hopefully he has enough pride to feel compelled to try to match Lester's performance.  Is that too much to hope for?

With Middlebrooks continuing to play so well, what will happen when third baseman Kevin Youkilis returns from the DL in the next week?

Happy Tim Wakefield Day, everyone.

The Boston Celtics couldn't hold off the Philadelphia 76ers again, this time losing 82-81 in the second game of their playoff series.  How are we feeling about that, Clutterheads?  Game 3 is tomorrow in Philadelphia.

A reminder that the country is not a business, so running as an experienced CEO isn't a particularly relevant argument.

Rep. Ron Paul is suspending his campaign.  He's just going to focus on grabbing delegates wherever he can in upcoming state Republican conventions.

Bad news for the GOP as a new Gallup Poll shows a majority of Americans think the economy is heading in the right direction.

Let's review again:  Exactly what policies contributed to the majority of our current national deficit?  Aw hell, read the article, but let's jump right to the picture:

Facebook continues to raise the target price on its stock in advance of Friday's IPO.  If you just want one share to hang up on your wall, these folks can help you with that.

I bring many skills to the table, but a strong sense of direction is not one of them.  Fortunately, the MBTA takes me wherever I need to go in Boston.  It may not be fast, but it's dependable, and I can do it with my eyes closed, so please don't tell me the T is going to sell all of their station naming rights, and  I'm going to have to learn to start giving and taking directions like, "You take the B Line from the Burger King stop to the Comcast stop, switch over to the Red Line and take that to the Citizens Bank stop."  I'll be lost for the next year.

Last night's season finale of How I Met Your Mother was solid.  I think Ted and Victoria made a large mistake which should be corrected, and the issue of Barney's wife still seems unresolved to me, but once again, the most remarkable part of the show was that the five main characters really seem like long-time friends.  Also, Marshall's reaction to becoming a father was spot-on, as was Robin's response to Barney's engagement.  I'm already looking forward to next season.

There's one epsiode of House left.  It's time for the show to end, but Hugh Laurie and crew had one hell of a run.

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  Let's have The Black Keys take us out 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 feel free to come back if you want to watch the Red Sox game with us, or just hang out, or whatever.  Until then, that's today's Clutter, and we are outta here.

Monday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back.  How was your weekend?  I hope you all had a good Mother's Day.  I had a nice time with Mom Clutter.  I helped her with her garden, we had breakfast yesterday with some friends of hers, and of course we watched the Boston Red Sox games.  It was all good, but now it's time to focus on the new week at hand, so grab yourself a nice medium DD, and let's clear out a little Monday Clutter.

Don't look now, but the Red Sox have a three-game winning streak going on right now after walloping the Cleveland Indians 12-1 yesterday.  Starting pitcher Daniel Bard didn't seem to have his best stuff, but he battled for six innings, and only gave up the one run.  The bullpen was solid in relief, and the Red Sox bats teed off on Cleveland pitching (especially starter Justin Masterson and reliever Dan Wheeler) like they were playing whiffle ball.  It would still be great if Bard (as well as the rest of the Boston starters) could get deeper into the games, but other than that, it was a solid win.  Next up, Jon Lester takes the mound against the 16-20 Seattle Mariners.  Perhaps Josh Beckett will feel some pressure to step up on Tuesday if everyone else in the rotation wins a start before him.  Probably not, but a guy can dream.

Would you pay to use Facebook?  As it prepares to go public, the company will be pressured to find every possible revenue stream, so how much would you pay to increase the number of people who see your status update?  How about $5/month?  (I just made that number up.)  I certainly wouldn't pay much, though I am intrigued by the idea that paying members would have more of a say in the company's privacy policies.  Ah, who am I kidding, we'd just end up paying Facebook to make money off of us.

If Bill Clinton was "the first black president," does that mean Barack Obama is "the first gay president?"  Writer Andrew Sullivan makes an interesting comparison between President Obama's racial identity and the experiences of gay people in the new Newsweek:

“Barack Obama had to come out of a different closet. He had to discover his black identity and then reconcile it with his white family, just as gays discover their homosexual identity and then have to reconcile it with their heterosexual family. The America he grew up in had no space for a boy like him: black yet enveloped by loving whiteness, estranged from a father he longed for (another common gay experience), hurtling between being a Barry and a Barack, needing an American racial identity as he grew older but chafing also against it and over-embracing it at times.”

The Obama campaign is going right after Mitt Romney's supposed main strength, with a new ad saying the former venture capitalist is a job-destroyer.

 

Hey kids, stop eating batteries.  Don't be a fool, batteries aren't cool.

RIP Donald "Duck" Dunn.  The legendary bassist died yesterday at age 70.  Dunn played with a number of stars and bands like Booker T. and the MGs, and Otis Redding.  I remember first hearing his name in a John Belushi biography when Belushi said he wanted to hire musicians like Dunn to show that the Blues Brothers were a real band, and not just two actors singing some songs.

There's still room on the TV schedule for Two and a Half Men, but CSI: Miami takes two in the back?  I can't imagine a world where David Caruso isn't tipping his sunglasses and uttering some amazingly cheesy one-liners.  Hell, I don't even want to try.  This is a sad day in America.

This week's Sherlock episode, "The Hounds of Baskerville" wasn't as strong as last week's.  There was just a little too much filler in the plot, but it was still better than almost anything else on television.  I'd pay to watch these programs in a movie theater, though I'm glad I can watch Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman for free at home.

Everyone was out for themselves in last night's Mad Men, which is always compelling television.

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  I'm devastated by this CSI: Miami news, so let's have David Caruso demonstrate his unbridled intensity, brilliance and exceptional comedic timing, unmatched by any other actor in the history of the world, one last time with today's, "Clip of the Day."

 

Powerful stuff.  Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you as always.  I know it's a drag that it's Monday, but you know you're welcome to come hang out with us any time you like to take your mind off of that.  There's always some fresh coffee ready to go (or a cold Sam Adams Summer Ale, depending on what time you stop by.)  Have a good day, try to stay dry, and we'll see you again for more fun soon.  Until then, that's today's Clutter, and we are outta here.

Mother's Day Clutter

On behalf of BDH, Little Buddha, and myself, Clearing out the Clutter would like to wish a happy Mother's Day to the hundreds of thousands of Clutterheads who are moms.  We couldn't get you each your own medium DD, but please accept these flowers as a token of our tremendous appreciation for all that you do.  We'd also like to extend a special thanks to the moms of every Clutterhead out there, because without you, we'd just be a guy, small blue dog, and a little jade Buddha who talk to ourselves every day.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

(pic via motherdayflower.com)

Saturday Clutter

Hi everyone,

How are you?  Come on in.  I'm off to see Mom Clutter for Mother's Day, so first I have to review the rules of the house with BDH and Little Buddha.  I know, they're always fine every time I go away, but I can't help thinking they're having some wild house parties while I'm gone.  However, that can wait for a minute.  First, let's grab a nice medium DD and kick off this weekend with a little Saturday Clutter.

It took over four hours to get there, but for what seems like the first time in about a month, the Boston Red Sox finally won a game at Fenway, beating the Cleveland Indians 7-5.  Give credit where it's due, Clay Buchholz pitched a strong game.  In a reversal, it was the bullpen who struggled this time, but they managed to pull it out in the end.  Next up, it's Felix Dubront's turn to try to turn this into the start of a winning streak tonight.

I couldn't care less if reporter Robin Roberts is a lesbian or not, but Gawker.com found a fantastic way of sticking it to conservative blogger Matt Drudge in this piece about her interview with President Obama regarding same-sex marriage.

Speaking of which, a new Gallup poll says 60% of voters won't change their vote based on President Obama's public support of marriage.

Will the U.S. Supreme Court get a chance to rule on whether or not it's unconstitutional to not recognize marriage equality?

First off, does anyone besides Mitt Romney use the word, "hijinks?"  Second of all, whatever you call it, bullying is bullying.  For bonus points, guess what Eminem has to say about Romney's private school.

Thursday Romney supported the right of same-sex couples to adopt children.  Friday Romney had no idea what Thursday Romney was talking about.

Mitt won't have to worry about being offended by any long-haired hippies when he gives the commencement address today at the far right-wing Liberty University which was founded by the late Reverend Jerry Falwell.  Mittens, no matter what you do, conservatives just aren't that into you.  They'll vote for you if they dislike President Obama enough, but you're never going to win their love.

Will health care reform win some additional support once some people start getting money out of it?

I was so fired up about the Josh Beckett mess yesterday that I forgot to mention that the Boston Red Sox paid tribute to their late announcer Carl Beane.

"Big Papi" David Ortiz still misses his mother.

The New York Times no longer owns any part of the Red Sox.  Hey, let's take our good news wherever we can find it.

Looks like I need to make a road trip to Diskovery soon.  The used book and music store is closing soon, and I know they have a number of old Doonesbury collections that would look terrific on my bookshelves.

Always a good present for me, FYI. (pic via goodreads.com)

Here's  quick peek at tomorrow night's Sherlock episode.  I already have the DVR set just in case anything comes up.

Barenaked Ladies are apparently still around, and their new album includes a tribute to the Beastie Boys.

Okay ladies, Ryan Gosling is finally in a movie that I want to see.  Who wants to go with me?

 

ABC wants more Happy Endings, and it's hard to argue with that.

Jennifer Hudson's ex-brother in-law was found guilty of killing Hudson's mother, brother and nephew.

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  BDH is mad at me for leaving, so in order to try to win him back, I told him he could pick today's, "Clip of the Day."  I know we just had a puppy yesterday, but if you've got a problem with this clip a) take it up with the blue dog, and b) there's something wrong with you.

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you as always.  I'm heading out, but you know you're still welcome to hang out at Clutter Headquarters with the rest of our merry band.  Email me, and I'll tell you where I put the key.  Until next time, that's today's Clutter, and we are outta here.

Friday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back, and a happy Friday to you all.  It's great to have the sun back, but I have to say, I'm happy we had all of that rain.  I mentioned it yesterday, but the Clutter Tree's leaves really do seem to have doubled in size in the last 24 hours, and they're a much more vibrant green now.  A happy tree makes for a happy me, so let's celebrate all of this happiness by grabbing a medium DD and clearing out a little Friday Clutter.

It was an ugly night at Fenway Park as the Boston Red Sox lost 8-3 to the Cleveland Indians, thanks to a horrible performance by Josh Beckett.  It was Beckett's first start after his controversial golf outing, and the anger of the Red Sox fans was palpable right from the first pitch.  Beckett made matters worse by getting shelled by the Indians, giving up seven runs in 2 1/3 innings, and he was booed loudly by Red Sox Nation when Bobby Valentine finally yanked him. 

To make matters worse, Beckett showed at his press conference after the game that either he just doesn't get it, or he's trying to burn his way out of town.  He admitted to pitching horribly (not a great step in courage), but defended his golf outing while he missed a start due to a sore lat muscle, saying,

"We get 18 off days a year. I think we deserve a little bit of time to ourselves,’’

18 days off?  18 days off?  Beckett's a #$#$# starting pitcher, for crying out loud.  He only plays once every five days.  The Red Sox are in free fall, the starting pitching deserves the vast majority of the blame, and Beckett is so self-absorbed, that he doesn't see why there might be some anger at his off-field behavior, or really, he just doesn't care.  He's taken no responsibility for his role in last year's collapse, he clearly didn't come to spring training in shape this year, and so far has pitched like a guy who should be released, but he doesn't see the problem.

Beckett. (pic via hosted2.ap.org)

To make matters worse, Clay Buchholz, who went golfing with Beckett, continues to be his lap dog, and showed he's just as out of touch, saying,

“I don’t think it was a big deal at all,’’ Buchholz said. “People feel differently than I do, I guess. Just like last year, the whole beer and chicken thing wouldn’t have been a story if we would have won and went to playoffs. So it’s just there’s always got to be something to talk about. I think that’s just what it comes down to."

The problem is that Red Sox didn't make the playoffs last year, so the beer and chicken thing is a story, and the fact that Buccholz doesn't understand that is a little depressing.  That paragraph above about self-absorption and poor performance applies just as easily to him as it does to Beckett.

Doesn't get it. (pic via masslive.com)

Ugh.

In more positive news, the Boston Celtics eliminated the Atlanta Hawks from the playoffs, beating Atlanta 83-80.  It turns out that when you call Kevin Garnett "the dirtiest player in the league," he tends to take it personally, and when he takes it personally, you tend to lose the game, as Garnett had 28 points in this one.  Next up, it's the Philadelphia 76ers, starting tomorrow. 

Mitt Romney was part of a gang of high school kids who attacked a classmate, who was likely gay, and cut off his long hair.  One of the other kids involved was guilt-ridden for years, a witness to the attack described it as "vicious," and Romney?  He doesn't deny that it happened, though he claims he doesn't remember it.  Sorry, the country doesn't need a bully.  There will be those who will say we shouldn't take high school behavior into account during this election, but Romney's actions do provide some context to his battles with a LGBT anti-bullying commission when he was governor.

Nancy Keenan is stepping down after eight years as the president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, saying the abortion rights movement needs to move to younger leadership.

The F.D.A. approved using a H.I.V. treatment drug as a preventative measure as well.

I'm not entirely sure, but it sounds like I might be suing Apple.  Best of luck to me.

There's a horseshoe crab orgy going on in Delaware right now.

As irritated as I am with the Boston Red Sox starting pitchers, it should be mentioned that the bullpen is really doing a great job right now, with an e.r.a. of somewhere around 1.55, or something like that.  One of the best stories has been the emergence of Scott Atchinson as a dependable pitcher.  He's always seemed like a guy hanging on by his fingertips, but he's proved his worth to the team this year. 

Major League Baseball might eliminate that stupid fake-to-third-fake-to-first move, after realizing that Tim Wakefield was the only guy who ever successfully pulled it off.

The good news is that NBC renewed Community for another season.  They'll only air 13 episodes, but I'm getting used to watching programs with short runs.  The bad news is that Community is one of three Thursday night NBC programs (including 30 Rock and Parks and Rec), that is being eased into cancellation.  If that's the case,  I'll have no reason left to watch NBC at this point, except for Sunday Night Football.

Okay everyone, that's going to do it for now.  Congratulations to you all for making it through another week.  I think that calls for a treat, so let's close things out with today's, "Clip of the Day," featuring two puppies and a bunny, because really, how could it get any cuter than this?

 

Thanks for stopping by, everyone.  It was great to see you as always.  Enjoy the rest of your day, and come back again whenever you like.  BDH, Little Buddha, and I will be here admiring the Clutter Tree, and you're always free to join us. Until next time, that's today's Clutter, and we are outta here.

Thursday Clutter

Hi everyone,

Welcome back.  It's looking pretty dreary out there this morning.  However, the Clutter Tree is clearly loving the rain.  Its leaves seem to have doubled in size since last night, and it's suddenly much greener, so I can live with some light showers.  However, it does feel a little harder than usual to get moving, so help yourself to an extra-strong medium DD, and let's clear out a little Thursday Clutter.  Ready?  Here we go...

Yesterday was truly a historic occasion when for the first time ever, a sitting president said,

"At a certain point, I've just concluded that, for me personally, it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married,"

With that sentence, President Barack Obama publicly came out in support of same-sex marriage.  He may have taken much longer to make that move than many would have liked, and it's unfortunate that he thinks it's an issue that should be decided at the state level, but there's no doubt that this was a landmark moment.  It was a politically brave step to take right at the start of the general election, since no one knows for sure how independent voters will react, but it places the GOP in a tricky spot.  If they come out too strongly in opposition, President Obama and the Democrats will be happy to fight them on social issues.  If they don't fight it too strongly, then a major wedge issue has been taken off the table. 

However the political ramifications play out, millions of Americans who have faced fear, anger, and discrimination throughout their lives, have just had the leader of the country come out in support of them and their families, and that has to be an incredibly rewarding feeling.  Cheers, Mr. President.

  

I'm so sad to hear that "the voice of Fenway Park" Carl Beane died after suffering a heart attack while driving yesterday.  Beane, who'd been the Red Sox public address announcer since 2003, had such a majestic voice, and it's impossible to imagine going to another game without hearing him announce the lineup.  The Red Sox are doing a promotion where three young kids announce the first three batters of an inning, and I got such a kick out of watching Beane telling each child what to say and then congratulating them when they were done.  He will truly be missed.

Carl Beane. (pic via espnboston.com)

Speaking of the Boston Red Sox, they continue to find new ways to lose, last night's big adventures being Cody Ross having a ball pop in and out of his glove, and the fact that Marlon Byrd continuing to misread fly balls on a seemingly-regular basis.  Jon Lester only got through five innings, and Boston lost 4-3 to the Kansas City Royals.  Marlon Byrd was also involved in some controversy at the plate, when a pitch hit his hand while he was pulling his bat back on a bunt.  The umpire ruled it was a foul ball (which was the wrong call), and apparently Bobby Valentine dropped a few choice words when talking about it after the game.  I think Valentine would have done everyone some good if he'd gotten himself thrown out of the game arguing the call, instead of just standing there.  This team could use a solid kick in the ass right now.

Next up, the Red Sox return home to face 2004 "Idiots" Derek Lowe and Johnny Damon (and the rest of the Cleveland Indians.)  Taking the mound for Boston tonight is Josh Beckett, who is now the star player in a new controversy, after it was revealed that he went out for a round of golf the day after announcing he would miss his next start due to a sore lat muscle in his back.  Not exactly the kind of behavior you want a pitcher to engage in while he's supposed to be resting.  Clay Buchholz, who was with Beckett, and apparently still follows him around like an eager puppy, refused to comment on the matter.  I think this team as a whole is unfairly called "unlikable" by many.  They're clearly struggling, and I'm neutral about many of the players, but there aren't that many that I think are actively unlikable.  Beckett, however, is clearly at the top of that list.  He has seemingly learned absolutely nothing from last year's chicken and beer debacle, has taken no responsibility for himself this year, and really just doesn't seem to care.  I hope Buchholz will still figure out that this isn't the guy to pattern yourself after.

There is one bit of good news here:  Jerry Remy tweeted earlier this morning that he will be making his return to the TV booth tonight.  Welcome back, Rem Dawg, you were sorely missed.

I like to remind myself daily that anything is possible.  Today's example of that is a House Republican defending Planned Parenthood.  Cheers to freshman Rep. Robert Dold (Illinois) for unveiling legislation to prohibit the government from denying Title X family planning program funds to a qualified organization.  The next question is, will GOP leaders try to hold him up as proof that they're not actually all extremists, or will this be the last time we ever hear about Rep. Dold?

The season premiere of Doctor Who debuts in Scotland somewhere around August 23-25.  Does that mean it will air on BBC America shortly after that?

I saw this on Twitter (sorry, I've forgotten who to give the credit to), and I guess there's something called Rookie Mag which has a feature called "Ask a Grown Man," where teenage girls submit questions for an adult man to answer.  I know, it sounds like something on the wrong side of kiddie porn, but actor Jon Hamm does a pretty good job with these questions.  Check it out.

 

Okay kids, that's going to do it for now.  BDH, Little Buddha and I would like to pay tribute to Carl Beane by closing things out today with a moment of silence instead of a, "Clip of the Day."  We'll be back in a minute.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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