Super Bowl Commercials

Chances are if you did not watch the Super Bowl you have heard about the commercials.  Super Bowl commercials have taken on a life of their own.  They have become bigger than the game itself for many people.  I must admit, even I, who turns the channel every time a commercial airs, was anxious to watch the new batch of advertisements to Super Bowl XLVII.

Advertising during the Super Bowl is a gamble.  You have to hope that the cost of the ad will pay off with the increase in business.  History has shown the commercials work, but even then there are only a few companies that can afford to spend $3.8 million on one 30 second advertisement.  But companies like Budweiser, Doritos, and  Go Daddy.com seem to ante up each year.

While the commercials and the budgets have gotten bigger, many are beginning to question whether the advertisements still meet the family entertainment the Super Bowl tries to promote.   As the years have progressed the ads have become closer to PG-13 to R rated than PG. 

I have attached a link to the commercials below.  Go down about half way down the page and you can view all of them.

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/03/super-bowl-commercials-2013-watch_n_2612632.html?1359944906#slide=2056906

The commercial at the top was my favorite, followed by the Budweiser commercial with the Clydesdale. 

Which commercial was your favorite and why?  What is your reaction to the cost of a 30 second commercial?  Do you think it is worth it?  What do you think about the content of some of the commercials?  Have the commercials become to risqué?  

Catholic Schools Week

This week is Catholic Schools Week in Boise and across the United States.  It is a time to celebrate and appreciate the opportunity to attend a Catholic school.  Catholic schools have a long and interesting history in our country.  Almost simultaneously Catholic schools originated from Franciscan missionaries in Florida and Jesuit in the middle colonies.  As the United States progressed from colonies to states, the school’s needs and objectives evolved.

In the years following the American Revolution, the country, being predominantly Protestant, structured the schooling and curriculum on the teachings of the Protestant Church.  This was at times done at the expense of the Catholic children looking for and education.  In response to the threats of prejudice, Catholic Church leaders decided to start their own schools to ensure a proper education founded in the beliefs of Catholics.

Between the 1830s and the 1960s, the number of schools and students increased.  By around 1965 Catholic schools in America reached its all time high with more than 12,000 parochial schools.  In addition, close to 50% of all Catholic children attended a Catholic School.  In 2006, the number of schools is about half of that and the percentage of Catholic children attending Catholic schools is closer to 15%.  Although this may seem like a significant drop, about 40% of all Catholic schools have a waiting list for incoming students and the needs in suburban areas continues to be high.

In Boise, we are truly blessed to have 4 parochial schools and a Catholic high school.  It seems appropriate this year’s theme for Catholic Schools Week is “Faith, Academics, Service”.  We are lucky to be part of a school which embraces our faith as we establish high academic standards and promote a community focused on providing service to others.    

What do you think about your Catholic education?  What would or do you say to people about St. Joe’s?  What are your favorite things about the school?  What would you like to see changed or improved on in the future?

The Second Inauguration

On Monday the nation witnessed the second inauguration of President Barack Obama.  The catch phrase from the address according to MSN is “The possibilities are limitless.”

Presidential inaugurations, whether first or second, have embodied the spirit of the United States.  They have lifted the ideas of Americans and set the course for the direction of the country. 

Thomas Jefferson looked to unify the nation after a divisive election:

 "Every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle. We have called by different names brethren of the same principle. We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists. If there be any among us who would wish to dissolve this Union or to change its republican form, let them stand undisturbed as monuments of the safety with which error or opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it."- March 4, 1801

Abraham Lincoln reminded the country of our need to heal during his second inauguration as the Civil War was coming to and end:

 "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations." – March 4, 1865

Ronald Reagan, in his first address, focused on the economic issues plaguing the country.  He looked to inspire and motivate the people.

"My fellow citizens, our nation is poised for greatness. We must do what is right and do it with all our might. Let history say of us, ‘Those were the golden years — when the American Revolution was reborn, when freedom gained new life, when America reached for her best.’” – January 20, 1981

Every president since Jefferson has tried to communicate the idea that America’s best days are ahead of us.  We are always striving to be something better than what we are today.  It is part of the idea of being an American.  I like to think each of us as individuals and as a country are always trying to improve ourselves and our nation.  We want to leave the world a better place for the generations that follow. 

Please find a favorite quote of yours from an American president and share it in your comment.  Please explain why you chose the quote and what it means to you. 

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

On Monday, January 21 we are remembering the life and teaching of Martin Luther King, Jr. throughout the United States.  While we each may enjoy a day off of school, we do not want to lose the purpose of commemorating his life and his impact on the United States and the world by taking the day for granted.

Martin Luther was born in Atlanta, Georgia.  He was the son, grandson, and great grandson of Baptist ministers.  While he initially was reluctant to accept his inherited occupation, during his time at Morehouse College, Dr. King began to learn how to use his devout Christian beliefs and his natural ability to gather people to promote the ideas of social change.

As his life continued, he actively engaged in the promoting the civil rights of African Americans and the social changes so long overdue.  While the civil war ended nearly 100 years prior to Dr. King, it was not until the 1960’s that America began to recognize the equality of African Americans. 

The teachings of Martin Luther King are as relevant today as they were 40 years ago.  Even though we have taken great strides as a country, we still hear and see acts of prejudice and bigotry in our society.  While we strive for equality and tolerance, we know there is still hate in the world.  Dr. King would encourage us to seek out acts of hate and intolerance in the world and find peaceful solutions to promote the human spirit.

In addition to Monday being a day for remembrance, it should also be a day of action.  A day dedicated to doing something to promote humanity and discourage intolerance.

The following is a link to the King Center.  The website includes many interesting and thought provoking ideas, including a biography of Dr. King and the history of the holiday.

http://www.thekingcenter.org/

What do you think Dr. King would think of our world today and the changes the country has undergone?  Can you think of situations in our world today where intolerance and prejudice exist?  What actions are you willing to take to promote the human spirit and the ideas of tolerance, acceptance and forgiveness?

Newtown, Connecticut

God bless the victims, families, and the community of Newtown, Connecticut.  You are all in our thoughts and prayers.  

Most Powerful People in the World 2012

Last week Forbes Magazine released its annual list of the world’s most powerful people.  Whether or not the people on the list care one way or another about the list is irrelevant to the fact that the subscribers to the magazine are fascinated with the results. 

Each year they analyze who is up, who is down, who is new, and who is no longer worthy of the list.  Ironically we have a tendency to take the list as fact.  The list is put together by highly informed and educated individuals registering their opinions.  There is not a mathematical formula or any other tool used to measure personal power and influence.  It is based on the educated opinion of the lists contributors. 

There was little movement in the top ten this year.  The President of the United States is still #1.  President Obama is followed by the Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel.  Below are the top ten.

1.       Barrack Obama, President of the United States

2.       Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany

3.       Vladimir Putin, President of Russia

4.       Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

5.       Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Roman Catholic Church

6.       Ben Bernanke,  Chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve

7.       Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia

8.       Mario Draghi, President of the European Central Bank

9.       Xi Jinping, General Secretary Communist Party, China

10.     David Cameron, Prime Minister, United Kingdom

The complete list can be found at:  http://www.forbes.com/powerful-people/list/

What are your impressions of the list?  What criteria would you use to judge people’s power in the world?  Given your criteria, who should be included on your list and why?  

Hurricane Sandy

It has been five weeks from Hurricane Sandy and its devastation to the East Coast of the United States.  Places in New York and New Jersey were decimated as a result of the storm and its aftermath.

The cost of the storm’s devastation is still undetermined.  These costs include rescue efforts, evacuation, structural damage and property restoration.  Below is a link which shows before and after pictures of the New Jersey Coast.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/specials/hurricane-sandy-before-after-photos/      

While tragedy is always horrible to read about and witness, it is also within these times we are able to witness to strength of the human spirit and the incredible lengths people are willing to go to help their neighbors. 

One such story comes from New Jersey.  Within days of the storm’s devastation, New Jersey Strong was organized as a non-profit organization.  Its sole purpose is to aid the families victimized along the Jersey coast who were victimized by Sandy.

The organization has focused its efforts on clean up.  They are gathering and deploying numerous volunteers to homes, parks, and other locations to clean up the debris and attempt to restore property to the condition it was before the storm.  While they can use money, their primary request from the public that want to be involved is manpower.  They have faced some challenges, but with concentrated focus and relentless effort, they are providing hope to many people who have lost their homes, cars, photos, and sense of security.

The focus, passion, and commitment they have shown to their community are inspiring.  This is a grassroots effort to reclaim the New Jersey shoreline, which has been an important place in their lives. 

Do you know anyone who was affected by Hurricane Sandy?  What obstacles did they face and how did they overcome those obstacles?  What do you think about the efforts of New Jersey Strong?