The Obama Presidential Center is Not For Everyone

Nathaniel Rodwell-Simon

I know what you’re thinking. The new Obama Presidential Center is going to be a hub for rock climbers. Just look at the facade of the building… a rock climbers dream! But black people don’t rock climb soooooo… sorry white climbers. No hand-holds on this mountain. The Presidential Center is designed with a museum devoted to Obama’s presidency, a basketball court, a community garden, and a branch of the Chicago Public Library (more here). It will also have an area for Democrats to pout. Trump, too many people asking if Michelle is a dude, wars, no wars, the Mexico wall, ICE, gender stuff; One side will be soundproof so visitors can yell and scream and blow whistles. The other portion is a quiet space to weep alone.

That was all a joke. If you need to pout, do it in the privacy of your own Twitter account. But for real, it will have areas for young people to learn about careers in things besides sports. In other words, your kid isn’t getting an NIL deal, quit dreaming.

The building looks more like the body of a middle-aged adult, to be honest. So you’d think there would be pickleball courts there, right? Wrong. I don’t see ANY sketches of no pickleball courts at the Obama complex! So basically this is just another place in Chicago you won’t want to visit at night.

-Out of the Wilderness

Dr. Pepper is Good and Nice – The Commercial and More, Doo Doo Doo!

Dr. Pepper babaaaay, it’s good and nice. A new jingle that will be stuck in my head for the foreseeable future and I’m not mad about it. Check out the ad which first played in the College Football Championship game in January.

The jingle was posted on TikTok in a video by Romeo Bingham. Here’s a little more background from “Good Morning America.”

Honestly, this one is right up there with my favorite jingle from Daisy Cottage Cheese.

-Out of the Wilderness

The TurboTax Dog Commercial – The Music, Skirting the Rules, and More

Far-fetched. As in, the idea TurboTax hasn’t manipulated their views of this commercial on YouTube is far-fetched. At the time of this post, the commercial has over 630,000 views in just one day… and not even a single comment. If that’s not a sign of fishy business, nothing is. Ironic coming from a product/brand that wants us to trust them to do our taxes, don’t you think? It’s a shame because I like the commercial but it’s sort of like that scene in “The Cosby Show” when Vanessa introduces her boyfriend to Mr. Huxtable. She goes about it the wrong way and it’s compared to offering a nice, juicy porterhouse steak on a garbage can lid. Here’s the ad, then scroll down for more info…

The Music. The soundtrack of this dog show is a song called “I Ran (So Far Away)” by The Beaches. Talk about the perfect song title, anyone with a dog can relate. Here’s the full track.

If you thought the song sounds like something more fitting in the 1980s, you have a good ear. It’s a 2026 cover of the original by A Flock Of Seagulls from way back in 1982.

I like the music in the commercial and the visuals, as well. It’s unfortunate, though, that TurboTax thought it would be smart to skirt the rules of YouTube, which officially state:

YouTube doesn’t allow anything that artificially increases the number of views, likes, comments, or other metrics either by using automatic systems or serving up videos to unsuspecting viewers. Also, content that solely exists to incentivize viewers for engagement (views, likes, comments, etc) is prohibited.

The dog is adorable, the ad is good, but I’ll be sticking with H&R Block for my taxes this year.

-Out of the Wilderness

The Apple Boardroom Slide iPhone 17 Commercial

Slide, slide, slippity slide… wait, hold up, this isn’t a Coolio music video or summer highlights from your Slip N’ Slide in the backyard. It’s Apple’s new ad featuring the durability of the iPhone 17 screen. Face down, it slides across an epically long table in a boardroom where a tense negotiation is not going too well for either side. Take a look then scroll down for more…

That is an absurdly long table and I love this commercial. People waiting with anticipation and anxiety. Waiting. And waiting. Then a simple answer followed by another fantastic voyage for the phone. Really made me laugh.

I love when simple ideas break through, proving once again that it’s not always complicated to illustrate a clear message. How do you feel about the ad? Did it make you laugh? Are you leaving the Android Gangsta’s Paradise to roll with your iPhone homies? Comment below.

-Out of the Wilderness

TurboTax Karaoke Animation Commercial – The Song and More

TurboTax has a series of ads offering their services to: 1. Do our taxes and 2. Get our mind off of taxes. One of their latest has a jingle that could probably chart on Spotify’s top 10 if they made a full song. Take a look then scroll down for more thoughts…

I’m not saying it’s on the level of the Daisy Cottage Cheese or the new Dommmino’s jingles, but as the kids say, doesn’t this song slap? Do the kids say that? The song is a level up. It’s not mid. It’s a boomer? OK, I need an interpreter for anyone talking to me who’s under 30 but from the comments on YouTube, this song is 🔥.

Blazing hot en fuego. Like hot Nashville chicken.

Nevermind that the commercial has a suspiciously high view count with only a handful of comments, the ad is fun and does an OK job of helping me almost forget that taxes totally suck balls. However, I won’t be singing this song anytime soon because it’s still just a reminder that taxes are real and they’re due soon.

-Out of the Wilderness