Superhero Day

Happy Superhero Day!

Do you recognize a superhero when you look one in the face? Do you think such men and women truly exist? If not, then look. And think again.

Indeed, there is a real subculture of genuine heroes, that bridge the gap between the fantastic and the practical. Anonymous and selfless, they choose every day, to make a difference in the world around them. Whether it be feeding the hungry, comforting the sick, or cleaning up their neighborhoods, they save real lives in very real ways. These are not “kooks in costumes,” as they may seem at first glance. They are, simply put, a radical response… to a radical problem.

So who are these modern day heroes? They are our neighbors, our friends, our family members. They are artists, musicians, athletes, and yes, politicians. Their actions serve as reminders that as most giving today has become reactive—digital and removed, temporarily soothing our guilt and feelings of helplessness—we have blinded ourselves to simple principles and practice of compassion and goodwill.

1) If you could have any superpower what would it be? Why?

2) Which Superhero are you most like?

3) Why are superhero stories so popular?

4) What makes a person a superhero? Is it the costume or the cape?

5) How do these guys make a difference? Does everyone approve?

6) Who is Bat Dad?

7) What is the Real Life Superheroes project?

8) Who is your Hero?

Political Advertising

Tim Derickson, Talawanda grad,  and one of the many candidates running in the special election for Ohio’s vacant eighth congressional district, “grew up a third-generation dairy farmer.”   What metaphor does he use for Washington politics?

Political campaigns literally spend millions of dollars trying to sway their voters. But are they getting their money's worth?

There are four main types of ads:

Negative - One candidate portrays the other in an unfavorable light.
Warm and Fuzzy - Candidates make the viewer feel good about the country or his/her campaign.
Humorous - Candidates elicit a laugh or smile from the viewer.
Scary - Candidates evoke images of fear (usually combined with a Negative ad)

After you have closely observed these political ads, answer the following questions.

The Most Disasterous 2018 Campaign Ads

1. What are the key messages communicated in each advertisement?
2. Which type of ad was more memorable? Why?
3. Which do you think would be most effective in convincing viewers to vote for (or against) a candidate?
4. Did you learn from the ads? Did they help you to decide which candidate to support?
5. What do all types have in common? Do they provide factual information or do theyevoke an emotional response?
6. During which programs do the ads play? What time of the day do you see the most ads?
7. What are the limitations of a 30-second commercial?
8. How important is a candidate’s look in these ads? What type of image are they trying to create?
9. If you were the campaign manager for a candidate in your district, what type of ad would you try to create?

Political commercials are like miniature movies. As in movies, great care is taken to make certain each detail of production--lighting, editing, music--work together to convey a particular mood.

Watch an ad for a fictional candidate. You can add different effects to manipulate the tape into an ad for or against the candidate.