Aussies know beer

Posted on July 2, 2011 by Tom

Another in our continuing series of creative commercials, an oldy but goody from Austrialia.

Jenkins at the U.S. Open

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Tom

It’s U.S. Open week at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland, so it’s time for Geoff Shackelford to renew the latest segment of his periodic interviews with Clear Thinkers favorite Dan Jenkins, who is covering his 207th (by my count) major golf championship. Any interview of Jenkins is good fun, but he particularly seems to rise to the occasion around major championships. For example:

Q: It’s Saturday of this year’s U.S. Open and you have a choice between watching the third round at Congressional or Obama v. Boehner whapping it around at Andrews Air Force Base. What do you choose?

“I wouldn’t watch politicians do anything if it was happening in my retina.”

Also, Jenkins’ twitter feed during the week of any major golf tournament is highly entertaining. Here is his Twitter review of Adam Schupak’s new book on former PGA Tour Commissioner, Deane Beman:

“New book out on Deane Beman. My review in one sentence: Deane never lost a conversation.”

Meanwhile, check out this slick Golf.com map and overview of the Congressional golf course (Bradley Klein chimes in with a good background piece on the course here). The U.S. Open’s site also provides interesting flyovers of each hole along with a narrated description.

Game on!

Give’em the Wild Turkey Bird

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Tom

In our continuing series of creative commercials, Wild Turkey whiskey chimes in with a clever one to start the week.

Wisdom from Terry Teachout

Posted on June 12, 2011 by Tom

My experience is that good commencement speeches are rare, but I know a good one when I read one. And this one by drama critic Terry Teachout is one of the best that I’ve read in years. Short, clever and insightful, Teachout weaves in a profound exchange from the movie Bull Durham and a funny anecdote about the legendary actor Rex Harrison and Broadway producer Leland Hayward. Then, he concludes with the following sage advice:

If there’s ever a time in life for you to shoot high, it’s now. So take a long, cool look at yourself and say, What do I really want out of life? What would keep me interested until the day I die? Do I have a realistic chance to get it? And if you think you do, then go for it. Work as hard to get it as you worked to get your degree here. Settle later, if you must–but don’t spend the rest of your life eating your heart out because you didn’t give it your very best shot right now.

And that’s that. I congratulate you, members of the Class of 2011, for doing something truly remarkable.

Remember: be proud.

Be professional.

Don’t be bored. Enjoy the moment.

And be sure to get a good lunch.