madisonballer23

[madisonballer23]

Fandom Research: Female’s Coaching Men’s Basketball

“To me, it would be strange if NBA teams were not interested in having her as a head coach”(Gasol). From a player like Pau Gasol’s perspective, this says a lot about his assistant coach, Becky Hammon, and her great ability to coach him and his teammates. Glass ceilings are a huge part of industries around the world, including this one, that women like Becky are trying to shatter. A glass ceiling is an invisible barrier that keeps women from moving up in any hierarchy.  Most recently, it has been highlighted in professional sports, and in particular, men's basketball.  One woman who is trying to break this “glass ceiling” of becoming the first woman to be a head coach in the NBA is Becky Hammon. She is an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs, and is very much qualified for a head coaching job in the near future in the NBA. On one side, there are some that argue that hiring her, or any other qualified woman that aspires for this role, is mostly determined by what she would do if she gets the job. Then, the other side of it is the social norm, which is that women are not qualified enough to be in this position. This norm that seems acceptable to many people in our society, is one that needs to change one small step at a time. Doing so will create empowerment for women in other industries outside of coaching men’s professional sports, specifically the NBA.

This is something that interests me because I am a basketball player myself.  I agree that women like Becky, who have great resumes and experience in the game, should get the opportunity to be a head coach going forward. This point of women getting the opportunity in the first place, is key in this controversy.  It applies not only to women applying for a coaching job, but also for women who want a higher position in any job. I have a reason to care about this, because there are some amazing women out there that have so much knowledge about the game that I grew to love. They deserve a chance to share their knowledge with current players, as coaches in the NBA. Women should get more opportunities to work their way up to be a head coach in men’s basketball, both at the college level and professionally. This is because there are a lot of them out there who would have the capacity to do so. Not only can they share their knowledge, but they can also give these men a different perspective of the game.

Still, it is news when a man suggests that a woman could lead a men’s basketball team. This is because men's teams in professional sports don't even seem to consider hiring a woman to coach their teams. Pau Gasol, of the Spurs wrote an open letter about female coaches, and his personal experiences with this topic. He said that his assistant coach Becky Hammon “can coach NBA basketball. Period”(Gasol). Directly from Pau who is an NBA player, women who know the game are more than capable of coaching men’s basketball teams up to the highest level. Another key piece of information to note is that Pau isn’t trying to argue why Becky should be a head coach in this letter. Rather, he wants the audience to get rid of the silly arguments that have been made about her candidacy to become a head coach in the NBA soon. This is beneficial information because there have been a few arguments made about this topic, but he gives examples of his own experience with female coaches to knock down other arguments quite easily.  From his own personal experience as an NBA player with Becky Hammon as one of his coaches, women are more than capable to succeed and lead in this industry.

Not only are there women capable of leading a men’s basketball team, but they are without a doubt qualified. What doesn’t seem to be happening is that teams aren’t giving them any chances at being a coach to start off with since they really don’t think women are qualified. In an article on SB Nation, it mentions that “five of the six women currently coaching in men’s pro sports are affiliated with the NBA” (Struby).  This fact suggests that there ARE teams out there giving qualified women a chance to coach at the highest level for men, because they have the qualifications to do so. It also mentions that these women as a result of getting these leadership positions, are breaking through barriers. Many of them have proven they have what it takes to lead an NBA team, or anyone in any industry. This fact suggests that there is a good start to this campaign for women coaching in the NBA if they aspire to. It shows that the NBA is starting to slowly let women be a part of the coaching staffs. Another big piece to this puzzle is the commissioner of the NBA, Adam Silver. He stated in late 2018 that he is very confident that they will be the first men’s professional league to hire a female coach, and that is a spark of hope for this organization.

Becky Hammon is such a great example of a woman who has started to shatter the glass ceiling that seems to be above women in many industries in the U.S. She is not yet a head coach, but with the huge step she has taken, it sure seems possible in the near future. According to an article on upworthy.com, there is a report that says, “40% of all professional employees of the NBA league office were women”(Couch). There are also four female presidents or CEOs overseeing NBA teams — more than any other men's pro sports league. There is success as a result of women being hired into the NBA in these type of positions, that should eventually lead to a woman becoming the first head coach in the NBA in the near future. This controversy applies not only to women applying for a coaching job, but also for women who want a higher position in any job. I have a reason to care about this, because there are some amazing women out there that have so much knowledge about the game I love. They deserve a chance to share their knowledge as coaches in the NBA. So,the  next time your favorite team in men's basketball, football, hockey, or baseball only interview men to lead their team, think about the cost of this approach. It's much harder to find the "best" person when you only consider men for the job.

[madisonballer23]

Aesthetic Critique/Review: Are Women” Qualified Enough” to coach Men’s Basketball?

“To me, it would be strange if NBA teams were not interested in having her as a head coach”(Gasol). From a player like Pau Gasol’s perspective, this says a lot about his female assistant coach’s ability to coach him and his teammates. This situation applies to all women because they have been dealing with “glass ceilings” over their heads in almost every industry outside of this for centuries. A glass ceiling is an invisible barrier that keeps women from moving up in any hierarchy. This is an issue in our society that has been resolved in some industries, but not many. Most recently, it has been highlighted in professional sports. Particularly, women are not being encouraged to break the “glass ceiling” of becoming a coach in men's basketball.  One woman who is trying to break this “glass ceiling” to becoming the first woman to be a head coach in the NBA is Becky Hammon. She is currently an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs, and is very much qualified for a head coaching job in the near future. On the side that I am advocating for, people have said that hiring her, or any other qualified woman that aspires for this role, is mostly determined by what she would do if she gets the job. Then, the other side of it is the social norm, which is that women are not qualified enough to be able to be in this position. The idea of women breaking through this glass ceiling, to create new opportunities, should be something more people want to see for women in industries like coaching in the NBA.

I am an advocate for women like Becky, who have great resumes and experience in the game, to get the opportunity to be a head coach going forward in the NBA. This point of women getting the opportunity in the first place is key in this controversy.  This applies not only to women applying for a coaching job, but also for women who want a higher position in any job. I have a reason to care about this, because there are some amazing women out there that have so much knowledge about the game I love. They deserve a chance to share their knowledge, as coaches in the NBA. Women should get more opportunities to work their way up to be a head coach in men’s basketball, both at the college level and professionally, because there are many out there who would have the ability to do so, and can also give these men different perspectives of the game.

There are a lot of women who are great leaders in many industries, and not many people are taking that into account when they see that women are wanting to become head coaches in the NBA. Still, it is news when a man suggests that a women could lead a men’s basketball team. And that's because men's teams in professional sports don't even seem to consider hiring a woman to coach their teams. Pau Gasol, of the Spurs wrote an open letter about female coaches, and said that his female assistant coach Becky Hammon is beyond capable of being a head coach in the NBA in the near future. This is just one of many advocates of this situation, and its proof that women can do remarkable things and change the lives of many people as leaders in this situation.

[madisonballer23]

I have seen the music video a while back and I love Taylor Swift in general.  From how you were able to describe the video, I am able to better remember what it was about and how Taylor was able to portray her character very well in making this video. I also think that it is interesting how the media does attack female figures and tend to make them look crazy.  In this essay, you were able to explain that most female figures are criticized when they are put under the spotlight rather than men.  I also loved in the music video how Taylor makes you think you are a part of the action and making you believe YOU will be the next victim.

Fearless Or Melodramatic?

Blank Space was one of Taylor’s first songs that WAS NOT directed to a certain ex. Instead it was a character she wrote about that the media was portraying her as. A “psycho serial dater girl”. For months Swift had been hearing and seeing all different sorts of rumors that people were saying, or stereotypes that they were setting for her. As her career got bigger and bigger so did the gossip and media. Taylor finally decided to  explain the background to her newest hit at the time in a chat with NME.

“Every few years the media finds something they unanimously agree is annoying about me,” she said. “2012-2013 they thought I was dating too much, because I dated two people in a year and a half: ‘Oh, a serial dater. She only writes songs to get emotional revenge on guys. She’s a man-hater, don’t let her near your boyfriend.’ It was kind of excessive and at first it was hurtful, but then I found a little bit of comedy in it. This character is so interesting though. If you read these gossip sites, they describe how I am so opposite in my actual life: I’m clingy and I’m awful and I throw fits and there’s drama. An emotionally fragile, unpredictable mess. I painted a whole picture of this character: she lives in a mansion with marble floors, she wears Dolce & Gabbana around the house, and she wears animal print unironically. So I created this whole character and I had fun doing it. Half the people got the joke, half the people thought I was really owning the fact that I’m a psychopath. Either one’s fine. It was #1 for eight or nine weeks, so I have no complaints.”.

The music video is made to be manipulative, and to pretty much make fun of the way the media sees her.  Instead of her moping around (like a lot of stars do when harsh gossip is released about them) she decided to use it to her advantage and write about it. It starts with a girl sitting on a bed in black pajamas, holding a cat, because we can’t forget about the fact that she is also known as a “crazy cat lady”. The next scene shows  a boy pulling up to her huge mansion and as she opens the door she reaches out her hand as though she is welcoming him into her “web”. Next we are looking at a close up of her face as she slowly looks up into the camera and into your eyes, trying to make you believe that you are the one she has just caught in her trap.

Then she adds in the whole basic “fairytale” scene where you see them eating a big yummy dinner, riding bikes around the family room, dancing in the ballroom, running in slow motion in the courtyard, riding perfectly white horses, painting portraits (she nonchalantly hangs the self portrait of the new man next to all the dozens of other self portraits of her ex lovers), and carving their initials into a tree. How romantic. This is a visual of the perfect relationship, so happy and in love.

And before you know it, as all great relationships should, they start spiraling down. The boy gets caught texting another girl and soon enough “psycho serial dater girl” is released. Taylor really portrays her character well in the last 2 minutes of the video. Throughout the entire song her lyrics are basically a warning to all. She says things like.. “You look like my next mistake. Loves a game, want to play?” or  the chorus of the song “ If the High was worth the pain”, “Got a long list of ex lovers, they’ll tell you i’m insane”, “Cause darling I’m a nightmare dressed like a daydream”etc.

She says these things the entire song, but watching the beginning of the music video you don’t recognize the creepy things she is saying because you are so focused on the acting in the video and how she looks like this perfect, friendly, girl. Its when she starts doing things like, smashing his car with a golf club, cutting up his clothes, stabbing a knife through his self portrait, or looking creepily into the camera while laying on the dining room floor crying with mascara running down her face singing the words “They’ll tell you I’m insane..” , that you start to notice how weird and messed up the song really is.

There is a scene in the video where Taylor is on top of the boy in the middle of the driveway hitting him and pretty much treating him like a doll. You see this guy just blow off everything she does like it is nothing at first and just lets her continue to keep bullying him. She manipulates him and makes him believe that he deserves her rath because he is the one who fell for her, when in reality its a continuous cycle she can’t stop doing. When he finally breaks and tries to leave, she won’t let him. The direct eye contact through the filming makes it seem like you’re the one that can’t leave, you’re the one that is trapped in her web and there is no getting free.

Finally, in the end of the video you seen the guy scared out of his mind speeding away in wrecked car. Right as he pulls out of sight a brand new red car pulls into sight and into the driveway. An attractive man in a suit steps out of the car and up to the door. There we see once again a close up of her face as she slowly raises her eyes to the camera, to represent the cycle of psycho serial dater girl. She found another man to warmly welcome into her trap. Taylor did a great job portraying this character throughout the song and music video. She got the majority of the fans to understand her joke and then others continue to believe that that is who is she. Either way she was happy with the outcome. The whole video it is constantly drawing you in and making you believe that you are either the victim in the music video or you are going to be her next one.

[madisonballer23]

I love that you wrote about her because the movie was one of the best I have seen for a long time!! I agree with you on how wonderful she really is and how she was able to change the way we see women, and how they can be very powerful and can change lives. She is a role model to many young girls and women, as you mentioned, because of the unique qualities that she has and shows throughout the movie.  I also love that you mentioned that we are all one-of-a-kind, and like wonder woman, we can live our lives to reflect this particular trait that we see in her. She was also a great example of fighting for a good cause, no matter the obstacles that will come your way.

Wonder Women really is Wonderful.

Wonder Woman. Her name so accurately describes who she is. Her abilities, her ideals. They’re all things that hook not only your attention but your heart as well. What’s not to like about her?  What makes her so amazing? Why is she so likable? She has a set of morals and ideals that majorly influence others to follow her way of life regardless of your super power capabilities. She is a divine product made from clay and gifted to the Amazons on a beautiful island full of beautiful people inside and out.

Wonder Woman’s ideals were perfectly framed in one epic scene in the most recent movie Wonder Woman played by Gal Gadot. The scene, “No Man’s Land,” where they need to get across the World War II trenches in order to continue their adventure encourages the audience to fight for what you believe is right, now matter how dire the situation may seem. It may sound cheesy but when taught by Wonder Woman cheesy is the last thing that comes to mind. She has a set of morals and ideals that majorly influence others to follow her way of life regardless of your super power capabilities.  This scene manipulates us into feeling that her cause, and any cause is worth fighting for by using a series of key tools in cinema such as the feelings that are portrayed by the actors, music selection, and cinematic strategies like the slow motion clips.

In the beginning of the scene they are making their way through the trenches and give her the tour, she sees all the pain and hopelessness with the soldiers. They make it clear from the get go that it seems like the Germans have the upper hand. But this scene isn’t exactly about what or whos she’s fighting but allowed for a full reveal of Wonder Women. Princess Diana sheds her cloak magically produces her shield and Wonder Woman blows everyone away. All of this is done in a very dramatic way building the scene along with getting the ball rolling with the emotions of the audience. Her comrades explain that it would be impossible to cross and you can see the indignation in her face and actions, the characters respond with open ended statements that not only push her to decide but also get the pieces to push us to choose what to do in a way. Of course we as the audience know that we aren’t physically there but when problems are presented in the way that this scene was they do feel like they are a part of it. All while this is done, the confirmation and intensity is built after watching the reactions of the characters as she carries out her decision to take all the fire. The soldier watching her put on her headband and take her cloak off was definitely feeling all sorts of emotions watching that go down judging by the look on his face. The amazement and support displayed by the other actors makes is something to be jealous of. Everyone wants to be depended on and supported and by seeing the success that Wonder Woman achieved affirms that what she is doing is good. In the scenes when the finally start fighting you’ll notice that very few Americans are shown getting shot and the Germans are falling by the dozen. Because of this the audience begins to feel that there is less chance of risk or being in danger by fighting for what you believe in.

People want to have their feelings manipulated. We as humans truly want to feel good all the time and there are things that we see in this movie that can help us feel inspired.  Wonder Woman’s abilities along with the abilities of her comrades can be interpreted as a reminder that we are one-of-a-kind and encourage us to life our lives to reflect that.

Wonder Woman, like Superman, qualifies as a what is considered a “Boy Scout” Superhero. I guess in her case it would be “Girl Scout” These are the types of Superheros that are consistently good throughout their existence, some may argue that they’re goodness is to the point that a trait like this it is unrealistic. Although that may be true in some case, that characteristic is a key ingredient in making us normal flawed mortals feel hopeful and drawn to Wonder Woman and other Superheroes like her. Everyone wants to be like her.

[madisonballer23]

I love Disney and I have only heard of a few of the theories out there!! I loved reading this because it is interesting to read about what different details and thought go into all of these things that I never would have thought about before.  It digs deeper into the simple and elegant Disney movies we all love, and adds a new level of thinking when we watch these movies next.  As I learned about these reading this, it made me want to watch even more Pixar and Disney movies because it was my childhood, and all of these theories were cool to read.

Disney and Pixar Theories

    Disney has been making animated movies since 1937, with Snow White and The Seven Dwarves being the first. These movies are all well known throughout every generation. Everyone remembers a Disney movie that they saw when they were a child, and they also remember seeing Disney movies with their own children. Some people might think that the movies are for pure entertainment and nothing more, but do the Disney movies have more to them then the eye can see?

    Disney movies may do more than just entertain. The movies may connect with life changing moments in history, or they may connect with one another. Some believe that almost all Disney movies connect in some way, whether it is two characters connecting, or if the worlds of different movies connect in some way. Some theories don’t make much sense, but some theories help explain the movies in a deeper way. Here are 5 theories about Disney movies and why they make sense.

Toy Story: Andy’s mom was actually Jessie’s original owner

    In Toy Story 2, there is a clip and a song that explains Jessie’s past life, and her past owner, Emily. Throughout the sad song going through the life of the new character Jessie, Emily is shown wearing a red and white cowboy hat. This hat is the same hat that Jessie wears, and is also the same hat that Andy is wearing in the first scenes of Toy Story 1. Since Andy and Emily are wearing the exact same hat, this suggests that Emily and Andy could be connected in some way. The time between the age of Andy’s mom in Toy Story, and the time of Emily makes sense. This suggests that Andy and Emily are related, in fact, Emily is Andy’s mother.

    This is important to fans of Pixar, and more specifically Toy Story, because Andy’s mom is kind of a mystery. She doesn’t have a lot of lines, and her face is rarely shown, which is strange. But this theory gives something for fans to grasp onto when it comes to Andy’s mom. Pixar connects a lot of its movies with the small things they do. This new theory of Emily being Andy’s mother is just another way that Pixar can connect two of its most beloved movies in a subtle way.

Tarzan, Elsa and Anna are siblings 

    In the movie Tarzan, the opening scene shows his parent’s ship in flames, sinking into the ocean. Tarzan’s parents luckily make it to the island where Tarzan grows up. But could Tarzan’s parents actually also be Elsa and Anna’s parents? Elsa and Anna’s parents are shown leaving for a trip in the movie Frozen. It never shows where they were going, but it does show that it never made it to the destination. The ship sunk in a horrible storm. In Frozen, we never see that the sister’s parents made it out of the wreck, but it never shows that they died. Theory suggests that Elsa and Anna’s parents made it out of the wreck, and they landed on an island, built a treehouse, and had another child. This so called child would therefore be Elsa and Anna’s brother or sister. Since theory suggests that Elsa and Anna’s parents had a child on the same island that Tarzan grew up on, that would mean that they had Tarzan. This makes Tarzan the younger brother of Elsa and Anna.

This has been buzzing around the fan communities of Disney ever since Frozen was released to theaters. Once again, Disney and Pixar can find ways to connect their movies to make them more enjoyable. This could be another one of those times that Disney does this. But this theory can be argued. We never actually see the ship Anna and Elsa’s parents were on in flames. We just see the ship get swallowed up in the see. We also never see an island near them like in Tarzan. This doesn’t mean that the ship was never on fire. It’s a stretch, but the ship could have been extinguished from the waves before it sunk. This would mean that they could have gotten off the boat and made it to the island, bringing Tarzan into the picture.

Carl from Up

    We all know the first ten minutes of Pixar’s Up was one of the most heartbreaking scenes in Disney and Pixar history, but does Carl die before the men from Shady Oaks pick him up? Some say that Carl actually dies the night before the retirement village guys come and pick him up in the morning. If this theory is really true, it makes the whole movie more sad then it was originally.

    People believe in this theory because of the strange events that happen to Carl as he journeys to paradise falls. At the first of the movie, everything seems normal, there is no element of magic in any of the scenes. The first time we see something sort of magical, is when Carl’s house lifts off the ground carried by hundreds of balloons. This could not really happen in real life. A house is a lot heavier then it may seem, no matter how many balloons you attach to it. Carl also has to steer his house by a homemade steering wheel. Balloons can’t be driven, they go wherever they want to go. Another element of magic is when after the storm, they are all the sudden a days trip away from paradise falls, Carl’s original destination. That wouldn’t happen in real life, they would have to do a little bit more to get there. The dog Doug is also a magical character. He is a talking dog, and even though he has some sort of device that allows him to speak, that just doesn’t happen in real life.

    Russell also has a part to play in his afterlife. Carl was a mean old man until he met his companion Russell. This character could be a way to show that Carl needed some guidance through the afterlife. Because the movie starts out in a totally normal world, this theory makes sense. Before Carl was going to be picked up for Shady Oaks, everything seemed normal, then after, the element of magic makes an appearance. That’s why this theory is in the running for one of the most reasonable theories.

Finding Nemo and grief 

   Finding Nemo is one of the most heartfelt and funny Pixar movie ever made. The funny and loving characters are in our hearts forever. And with the release of Finding Dory, the appreciation for this movie has reappeared. The movie about a father trying to find his son is heart wrenching and special to many people. In the first scene of the movie, Marlin and his wife are shown looking at their children. The wife is killed in the attack of a barracuda, along with every one of their children, except for one, Nemo. But did Nemo actually survive the attack, or did he die with the rest of his brothers and sisters?

    Some say that Nemo never survived the attack, and the whole story of finding Nemo is about Marlin going through the five stages of grief. This theory is sad, but may actually be true. The movie clearly shows the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, despair, and acceptance. Marlin didn’t want Nemo to go to school alone, he was in denial that the fact that his son was growing up. Marlin gets angry at Nemo for swimming to far out of the reef. Marlin’s entire trip across the ocean is an example of bargaining. He finally knows despair when he thinks he loses Nemo forever when he is flushed down the toilet. Finally in the end, Marlin lets Nemo go to school, and lets go of being a strict parent. The five stages of grief are clearly shown in the scenes of this movie.

    The theory got flushed down the toilet when Finding Dory came out later. Nemo is clearly in the movie, doing well as usual. This theory still has people wondering what is true with the movie and what isn’t true. All in all, the movie is a great family movie that will be in our hearts for a long time, whether we believe in the theory or not.

Aladdin is set in a post-apocalyptic future

    Aladdin, a Disney movie that came out in 1992, is supposed to be set in the middle east in a fictional place called Agrabah. This movie is also supposedly in the early years of the middle east. But theory has hinted to the movie Aladdin being set in the post-apocalyptic future. Things in the movie hint to this many times.

The hints are subtle, but if you look past the humor of the character the Genie, he gives several hints that the movie is set in the future. When the Genie first comes out of the lamp in the cave of wonders, he says “10,000 years will give you such a crick in the neck!”, but nobody thought about all of the references the Genie makes to a different century then then movie is supposed to be set it. For example, when Genie is making Aladdin a brand new outfit for him to woo Jasmine, he mentions the third century. Genie also makes a nice car, and turns himself into a casino machine, which have not been invented in the century that Aladdin is supposed to be set. Along with those references to the future, the Genie impersonates modern day celebrities such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jack Nicholson. Aside from all of Genies references, in the Aladdin video game, there are modern day inventions like stop signs. Along with the stop signs, there are skeletons of humans and bones of animals in the wasteland. Theory also suggests that there was a nuclear explosion which would explain why there would be human and animal carcasses everywhere.

    This theory may just be a stupid idea that someone came up with. The ideas are almost absurd, but with all the references that Genie makes to the modern day, this theory has a place in the top 5 Disney theories of all time.

    None of these theories have any actual proof that they are valid, but the suggestions in each of the movies makes Disney fans think about their childhood shows deeper. Disney has never actually released information that any of these theories, or the hundreds of other theories are true. Even though we have no proof, Disney fans will always will find ways to theorize the movies that are released by the multi million dollar company.

[madisonballer23]

I really like this post that you wrote and I can relate to it because I am a player on the women’s basketball team here at UVU!  I have an app on my phone that is very similar to this and I love that you are emphasizing using this!  I like that with this app you can see your progression in your physical health and you can also get help from others as you look at how far you are progressing.  I also think it is cool that this app is a motivator, because some people struggle to get motivated to work out consistently.  But with this app, it makes it easier for you to look at and give you little reminders to work out more and take more concern for your health.

Fitplan

Fitness apps have been so popular and useful for people who would like to be fit or tone. Like all of you know, the fitness apps can help people reach their own fitness goals.

There is one fitness app that I would like to discuss in this essay. Fitplan is one of the most popular fitness apps now. With fitplan you can train with whoever you would like to train with. They provide a lot of famous fitness celebrities who you probably  know so you can  train with them and follow their routines or challenges. Instead of paying thousands of dollars in a personal trainer, why not pay for Fitplan. Fitplan is  all that you need in order to accomplish your fitness goals and work at your own time without losing your money. Fitplan is good because it is giving you and idea of how to workout and it will make you to believe in yourself and to get the body that you would like to have. This App wants you to think in the way that you can success in your goal, and show you that exercises it is easy to start with, and to get a better idea of how exercises works without paying a expensive personal trainer.

The fitplan is an app with a membership where you can have access to all the workout and all the fitness trainers. The fitplan app is where you can find your favorite fitness person and train with them  and do their workout plan, which is being designed by them for you. In this app you can find different workouts. For example, perfect booty, perfect body, tight and tone, etc.Each one of these workouts tell you how many sets  and repetitions you have to do with a resting time between each set. This app has some challenges, which depends on the fitness level you are at. It tells you how many days per week and the time per day it will take you to complete the workout. For those who might have a tight schedule, this app help you to manage your time better an plan ahead your workout.This app is perfect for all type of level of fitness and for everyone who would like to do exercise and have some help from your favorite fitness start. So, there is no excuse to not be healthy and achieve your goals with your favorite fitness person.

The Fitplan has a monthly membership where you will be able to access all of the trainers and routines that they. This is good because it shows you how to start your goal without any worries about how to do exercises. This is a great way of how to motivate yourself and get into the fitness path.

This app has all that you need in order to accomplish your goals. I know the membership sounds a little scary to you because of the cost, but with this app you will be able to learn how to do the exercises correctly and how many sets you have to do in each of your workout routines. Also you do not have to worry about planning your own routine or think about what type of exercises you should do. With this app you will have your workouts all divided per day and what exercises you have to do each day and how long the routine will take to finish it.

The Fitplan give you the option to workout at home if you are a busy mother or father who would like to get fit and tone. This app has routines where you will be able to do at home with your kids without having to take them to a daycare and pay extra money to someone to watch your kid. The fitplan app has all you will ever need, with just a tiny monthly payment so everyone will be able to afford it.

The Fitplan give the opportunity to take your before and after picture so you can see your progress. With your dedication and effort this app will help you to reach your goals in just 90 days. After you reach your ideal weight, you will be able to focus on getting tone and tight with the help of your trainer. There are a lot of people who are  using this app where they have post their before and after pictures. This help them to see what they have accomplished, they can see their goals, and where they see all the changes of their body since the beginning.

I have been doing a little bit of research about what people think about this app. A lot of people who have been using this app said; “ this is the best app ever that I have ever had and used. This app guided me through all my workouts per day and also helped me keep track of  the weight that I used on my previous workouts.”  All of the reviews are from people like you and I who need this extra help in order to achieve their goals. From my own experience, I know  that in order to start the first step is to going to the gym on a regular basis. It is one of the hardest steps, but when we really start to think about this, to start going to the gym is not the hard part. The hard part is when you go to the gym without any idea of what to do or how to do your workouts. When I first started, it was hard to find the right way to do my workout without injuring myself. With this app, you will not have that problem because they have their trainers where they show you how to do each workout and manage your resting time in each workout. The fitplan app is all that you need in your workout to help you to get to the fitness level that you would like to be in.

[madisonballer23]

This is a well written post and I think this topic is definitely interesting. As a college athlete myself, this is a topic that I have heard a lot about before coming here to UVU to play college basketball.  But overall I think it is better that the college athletes shouldn’t get paid extra outside of their full ride scholarships.  Getting those extra benefits could be helpful, but at the same time, some athletes may not be getting the same benefits as those that are receiving the extra pay.  The full ride scholarship provides a lot of benefits that many college students don’t get and should be enough to pay all that needs to be paid, and still have enough to get other things they need.  But like I said at the beginning, this was well written and I like that you dug deep into your opinion.

athletes getting paid

Tyler Tynes https://www.sbnation.com/2018/3/16/17121588/college-basketball-fbi-investigation-ncaa-player-compensation

Gavin Spikes

English 1010

Dr. Robertson

13 Nov 2018

Athletes Getting Paid

There has been much controversy surrounding college football especially concerning the payment of college athletes. Many people, particularly college athletes, have been speculating for years about the salaries. Multiple colleges make copious amounts of money from collegiate sports. Most of the profit does not even go to the players and instead ends up funding the schools. These schools often do not upgrade facilities or do anything to benefit the players aside from just the normal scholarship. With many people donating to these programs, it is sensible to believe that student athletes should be compensated beyond just the normal scholarship.

A large number of Americans believe that college athletes deserve a salary. Most of the top tier sports in college bring in significant revenue. While schools are gaining large profits, some athletes come from an impoverished background, which creates an unfortunate situation. Student athletes with low socioeconomic status may tend to accept external booster sources that may eventually place them in a position of ineligibility. Regardless, one motive behind the situation may be because they are willing to financially help their families. Nonetheless, the act of receiving booster funds is illegal according to the NCAA. Since it is illegal for donors to give athletes money, they may reconsider helping their families. Imagine, talented athletes with low socioeconomic status who bring great profit to the schools they represent, and yet they cannot provide well for themselves or their families. Most of these athletes get a full-ride scholarship which includes a full tuition, books, meal plan, and a small stipend. This small stipend could be as little as 500 dollars to 1500 dollars a month but most athletes have to use that to pay rent unless they live in student housing. So, this scenario shows how students athletes work extremely hard every single day hustling as “slaves” to the school without a salary as the school they represent make hundreds of millions of dollars. Those athletes receive absolutely nothing in return, except an education. Yet, exploiting students of their talents just to pay for their education is not enough because student athletes help school gain more than what may be expected, especially in terms of football. If schools pay these wonderful kids, these athletes may be able to provide help to their families and also learn how to financially plan and fund what is necessary. If savvy with their pay, student athletes might invest that money and build up residual income. For example, if each player is paid a 1,000 dollars a month, then over four years that will be 48,000 dollars. Most importantly, players will be more inclined to stay in school and finish their degree, instead of quickly becoming drafted after 3 years, cutting their college career short by one year and then depriving themselves of a full college education. That in itself should be enough for colleges to pay the students if they really care about the well being and the success of each student as they claim to. If schools make so much money, why can they not just pay the players so that they can help themselves and their families? It is because these colleges seem to greedy and it is all about putting the money into the pockets of the people that run the school.

The next point that should be brought to light is just how much the College Football Playoff alone generates a profit each year after only 4 games. The number is substantially high. Simply from four games, the College Football Playoff makes 600 million dollars. Just off of those four games alone it generates enough money to pay every single college athlete that participates in an NCAA sport with a salary of 54,000 dollars a year. That number is substantially more than just the 12,000 dollars listed above. 54,000 dollars a year is more than the average income in the United States of America. If that is how much football alone makes off of just four games then imagine how much football generates over a whole season; that is more than enough to pay each of the players and still profit more than enough money to upgrade facilities.

Of course, there is always a downside to each idea that has ever been presented in the human era. When a person goes from being less fortunate to having a decent amount of money in their pockets each month, then serious problems could arise. Some players may lose the drive to attend class since they are going to collect a check either way. These athletes already miss enough school to attend events and games and other sports-related events. They get behind because they miss so much class and need tutors that more times than not, may do their work for them, instead of helping the athletes through the learning process. By paying them and creating an environment in which students may lose the drive to attend class, this problem may only be magnified and intensified causing them to drop out or become ineligible to play sports.

The next on the list of problems is financial irresponsibility. These players are young and possibly naive. Getting paid each month may create terrible spending habits. For example if a player is given 1,000 dollars a month and he sees a car he likes and has never been able to afford a nice car with payments such as 300 dollars a month, then car insurance as well as other bills and things will affect their financial planning. This is a major problem if they do end up getting paid then they should be required to take a budgeting class or some type of financial responsibility class that will help them manage money and spend it wisely for things that they need such as, clothes, food, and other necessities.

The last point is that it could remove the competitive nature from the game. These kids lose the incentive to play. In college the players are trying to make it to the NFL well, in the NFL the nature of competition is slightly lower because many of these people have already made it they have the money now. So these players would most likely be less inclined to play at their best performance.

As this list contains the Pros and Cons of paying college athletes there is many conclusions that you can come to. Now I believe players should be paid and compensated for the hard work that they put in to succeed and make it to the next level of football. There are many things that go against and go in favor of each side. It is hard to say if the NCAA will ever come to the point where they will pay the players for their hard work and dedication they put in day in and day out to help the school profit money.

Malcolm Lemmons (https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/college-athletes-getting-paid-here-are-some-pros-cons_us_58cfcee0e4b07112b6472f9a)

Patrick Hruby https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/college-football-has-money-pay-players-college-football-playoff-proves-ncna833486

Patrick Gleason and Eric Garland https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/editorials/article202272034.html

Ryan Swanson https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/made-by-history/wp/2017/10/02/want-to-clean-up-college-athletics-pay-the-players/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.eea79e79623f

[madisonballer23]

Which Wins the Battle: UK vs US Version Of The Office?

There are two different versions of The Office, the iconic sitcom that is known and loved by many, the world over. The original, British version of the show that started in 2001, and the US remake that was aired starting 4 years later. Which of these shows is better, is now a very controversial topic, because people quickly grew to love the US version, shortly after word got out that this was rumored to top the popular original British version. People who love the British version, argue that it was both short and sweet — while people who love the US version, say that where some is good - more is better. It is clear, however, that the benefits of the longer US version, easily outweigh the benefits of the original version of this sitcom.

In this essay, I will argue that the US remake of The Office is much better than the British original of this sitcom for three reasons: First, with it having four times as many seasons as the original, British version, there is a lot more to love and enjoy. Second, all of the characters in the US remake have an infectious sense of humor that really increases how much the audience will enjoy themselves while watching. Finally, the US version has some of the best characters sitcoms have ever seen, which gives the audience the ability to really connect with them. All of these reasons combine to create a great show that reinvents the stereotypical boring office environment we know of today.  

There are fair points on both sides of this controversial issue, including that the US version creates the vibe that the office workplace can be fun and entertaining, and the British version has a better boss as a character. Although there are some good things people have said about the British version, they don’t measure up to the many benefits of the US version when I personally watched and compared the two. One of the reasons the US version is better all-around, is because there is more to love, helping to “hook” the viewer into wanting to watch more of the characters they love.

A main reason why the US version of The Office is better is because with many more episodes to watch, the writers were able to develop the characters more intimately, giving the viewers a lot more to love and appreciate. According to an article titled, “The Office U.S. Vs. The Office U.K: Which Comedy Wins Out?”, they mention that there is “a long list of great episodes in the remake, easily three to four times as many as the original”. Specifically, there are 9 seasons with about 25 episodes per season in the US remake of the original, whereas the original British version only has 2 seasons with 8 episodes each. With so few versions to watch, the British version does not give as much content for the audience to get hooked on. This is exactly what I thought as I watched the whole series of both versions. The US version had a lot more episodes I could look forward to, whereas the original version stopped shorter than many would have liked it to. Another key reason why the US version of The Office is better is because the US version is funnier all around.  

My favorite shows or movies to watch all have some sort of humor in them that I don’t have to have a degree from Oxford to be able to comprehend. It’s a situational comedy, not a lecture series on office antics. The US version of the show never fails to make almost anyone watching it, laugh out loud.  Examples from Jim constantly pulling hilarious pranks on Dwight, to scenes where Michael does something bizarre that makes you want to cringe in disbelief that a boss could actually be that clueless, are what make this show great. I can count on these characters to make me laugh, and they meet that expectation every episode. The third reason I see that attests to why the US version of The Office is better, is that the characters themselves are some of the best TV has ever seen.  

The characters are a lot funnier, and better at acting - plain and simple. In the British version, it feels like the characters are trying to act funny, whereas in the US version the characters just naturally seemed funny, and are great in their roles. According to an article titled “ ‘The Office’: Why the American Remake Beats the British Original”, one of the salesmen in the British version, “seems to be borderline socially autistic, and Tim's abuse of him feels cruel before funny”. The characters from each version of the show have their own unique qualities, but the American counterparts seem to amuse them more than the autistic/cruel acting British characters. The relationships that we see in both versions also differ between characters, and the romance is a lot more prevalent in the US version. As a result of this, the audience emotionally gets attached to those characters who are falling in and out of love during the series. Watching the British characters that are dull makes the audience want to fall asleep, but in the US version of The Office, rarely will you find that to be the case with these characters. According to an article titled, “A brilliant artist reimagined characters from ‘The Office’ as cartoons”, the artist interviewed, Marisa Livingston, said that ‘characters from the US version are both “memorable and charming”. These characters truly make the show come to life.

The US version is also better than the British version because of the fact that there is more of an emphasis on making the boring office workplace we know of today, come to life in a relatable and hilarious way. On the other hand, the British version fails to make the office workplace seem like a fun job to be a part of. According to a review by a fan on Metacritic.com, the US version of “The Office is a daring, unflinching take on very American workplace tensions”. This is true, because it seemed like it would be a risk doing a remake of what seemed to be the best version of the show, and made it better in the office workplace. The US version also was a lot more popular when it came out for the first time than the British version.

The final reason that the US version of The Office is better than the UK original version is because it was a much more popular show and loved by a lot more people when it came out, than when the British version first came out. According to an article titled, “13 Reasons “The Office” Is the Best Show Out There”, it “was still one of NBC's highest rated shows. In October 2011, it was reported that it cost $178,840 per 30 second commercial, the most for any NBC scripted series”.  That says a lot about how much people loved this version of the show, because it was one of the most popular shows to EVER stream on NBC! While there are a lot of benefits and arguments I made regarding why the US version of The Office is better than the UK version, there are some counterarguments that have been made on this topic.  

One of the consistent points I saw as I was doing my research, on why some people think the British version is better, was that the boss was more interesting to watch and his qualities made him a better character. According to an article titled, “Why the UK ‘Office’ is better than the US version”, they mention that, “David Brent’s dark descension and eventual redemption made him all the more compelling”. Another argument that was made on this side of this argument was that it was the original, and the US version was really just a remake of what they came up with in the first place. While these are fair points, one thing that came up in my research was that Michael Scott (the boss in the US version) is very funny and is also a great boss, which really makes the US version unique in its own way. I don’t think many people want to watch this man from the British version who is very dark and does not have great humor to make it interesting. There are some things that are quite similar between the two versions. America not only made the original version better, but they made it more of a success as a result of revising it, including its great characters.

In conclusion, the US version of The Office is a much better version than its original counterpart, the UK version. There are fair arguments that go both ways in this controversial topic, but the benefits far outweigh the negatives in the US version over the British version. My research found that there are more seasons and episodes in the US version, giving people more to love. The humor in the US version was on point and not dry, like the British version, and made it entertaining and enjoyable to watch. The characters and cast in the US version were way better and acted better in their roles than those in the British version. The US version of The Office is a great sitcom that many love and enjoy, and I invite you to watch the US version if you have not already! I promise you will be hooked, and not regret it!

[madisonballer23]

The Office: Moral or Immoral?

The Office is the go-to TV show for when you are needing a good laugh in your day, but it also has some mishaps here and there that can translate into the office reality that is a part of our lives in America. A key mishap that I have discovered more about from watching this, is time theft. Time theft is one of the most debated moral positions in this environment, mostly because it is primarily based off of opinions rather than facts. Whether it has been Stanley doing his crossword puzzles, or Jim taking personal calls with Pam when she is gone, it seems that the writers of The Office are manipulating to us to believe that time theft can take its toll in the workplace. One episode in particular that I wanted to focus on, is one that shows a few key examples of this.

There is an episode in season 5 titled, “Business Ethics”. There are a few examples that are shown throughout the course of this episode of time theft that really confirmed that it isn’t something we need to encourage. One example is that Oscar (one of the accountants) admitted that he would sometimes take longer lunch breaks than is allowed. Another employee, Kelly (customer service representative), admitted that she would sometimes download inappropriate music onto her computer. These things are told out loud to the audience in this episode, most likely to get us paying attention to it. It also is manipulating us to say to ourselves, ‘Wow, who would want to ever take their company time and money and waste it in a running paper company?’ Taking personal time during office hours is something that can have a negative effect on the efficiency of employees’ work. Let’s jump into how this is shown in this episode.

It starts off with Holly (HR person) giving the office a questionnaire, and her and Michael start the ethics meeting by dancing to the song, “Physical,” but with the lyrics they made up with the title, “Let’s Get Ethical”.  Holly explains that the Business Ethics seminar is happening because of Ryan’s fraud. He ended up admitting it at this meeting and explained what happened. Holly then starts the meeting off by talking about these questionnaires and what they thought about it, and also explains why time theft is horrible. But throughout the meeting, people like Kelly start to disagree with her. Kelly points out that Holly herself has been caught smoking sometimes when she should be working. So really, this issue on time theft has two sides to it, and this episode focuses on three ideas regarding why it’s important that we eliminate time theft as effectively as possible.

Time theft in this episode of The Office illustrates that if employees goof off during office hours, others follow and it creates bad habits in the workplace. One reason this claim backs up my argument is because there is plenty of time to goof off after their shift is done, and they are getting paid for a completely different reason: to work and be productive. In the meeting, Holly mentions this subject and examples of this point. After she does, ironically the camera goes right at Stanley as he is in his own world doing a crossword puzzle. This type of action by employees in real office situations can inhibit them from being some of the most successful in their office. While goofing off is a common form of time theft in The Office, unlimited internet access on work computers is another key bullet point under this topic.

Time theft in this episode illustrates that unlimited internet access that is put onto work computers can cause less time for them to be productive. Access to anything on the computer software in general can also apply to the real office workplace because it can tempt employees to do things they shouldn’t on there. This will end up lessening their time of being productive when they need to be. Dwight has been known throughout the show to do some personal things on his computer, yet in this episode he told everyone that he does not ever take personal time. Jim doesn’t believe him, so he decides to hold a stopwatch as he watches Dwight, to make sure he doesn’t mess around on the internet and sticks to work related matters. Later, Dwight admits he does take personal time and we can learn that it is better to admit you are taking advantage of unlimited internet access, than to lie about it to other employees. Taking personal calls/time is a really big point of emphasis under this topic since it is a huge part of our lives outside of the office.

The last form of time theft in this episode is one of the more serious forms of this in the stereotypical office workplace. While it is serious, taking personal calls/time is commonly used, because there may be times employees want a break during the day to call a loved one.  But this is a major roadblock on the road to success for them in the office, and in their daily lives. For example, Oscar admitted that he took time to have a longer lunch for himself and call. This is a way that the directors manipulated us into feeling empathy for Oscar, because we now know that there really are employees that take personal time. But it is better to own up to it to try and change for the better, than keep doing it without people knowing.  

From this, we can learn that time theft is a robber of a company’s money and time. It can definitely be tempting to pick the phone up to call a friend or go out for a longer lunch if it was a hard week every once in a while. My take on it correlates a lot with the claims that I found in this episode. With those in mind, it was easier for me to be manipulated into believing what the directors of the show wanted me to believe. This show in general helps us see overarching conclusions about different mishaps that arise regarding time theft in a workplace environment. Even if you aren’t in an office work setting, time theft is a major concern among many workplaces we are a part of today, and we can all learn to avoid it as much as possible.

[madisonballer23]

5 Reasons Why “The Office US” is the Best Show EVER

One of the most memorable and successful American TV shows is none other than “The Office”. This television series aired from 2005-2013, yet it is still a very popular show that people watch on live-streaming services such as Netflix, over and over again because it never gets old, and its humor continues to keep audiences hooked. The show is portrayed in a documentary style, where a never-seen camera crew follows around the office workers (interviewing them from time to time), and is focused around a seemingly boring paper company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. With nine seasons of romance, huge laughs, pranks and awkward moments, “The Office” is widely known to be one of the best shows to ever be on TV.  Each character that is a part of the cast is unique in their own cooky way, and they quickly become endearing to the viewer. They make the viewer believe that their dream job is to be a paper salesman in Scranton!  Becoming one of the most beloved television sitcoms in history is no easy task, but in support of this idea, here is my list of five reasons why this show was and remains the best.

1. The Plot

The plot is one of the key aspects that makes this show great. The idea of a documentary crew filming everyday life in a paper company office?  Though maybe odd-sounding, it is actually hysterical -- while at the same time, being strangely relatable.  This is what grabs the viewer’s attention, to want to continue watching it since it turns a job that is originally thought of as boring, into a comedic environment that the viewer can’t stop watching -- wanting to see what could possibly come next. There are a lot of people in the US who work in offices similar to Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch. It could easily be anyone, sitting making sales calls about cardstock.  Because the viewer can easily picture themselves working in such an environment, it adds additional intrigue into what the next episode (or even the next scene) will bring!

The idea of filming the shenanigans of seemingly regular people at their regular job is a simple one. With the added bizarreness of Regional Manager Michael Scott, the show’s hilarity is elevated even more, and in a way only “The Office” can be, all in the little town of Scranton, Pennsylvania. While it may seem odd to have this popular show be centered around a fairly unknown town, it is the heart and soul of Dunder Mifflin, and adds to the show’s charm.

2. The Setting

“The Office” needed to ground itself in a real city, and it found its voice in the mundane details of everyday life. Having the setting of this show be in a little town in Pennsylvania, makes it unique, yet also very relatable to everyday Americans. Scranton is indeed a smaller town in Pennsylvania, that is not really well known, but the people who do live there notice the tiny details they see in their town, like lesser-known company and brand names and and “Ma and Pa” shops. These small things that are put into scenes of this show, really grab the attention of many people, and not just the locals from Pennsylvania.  It is part of the show’s genius, and helps the viewer fee a part of the fun.

This proves that the writers of “The Office” paid attention to where they were setting the story. The fact that this place is just a normal, everyday town with a slightly abnormal company, makes the show relatable to us and funny all at once. What the show did for the town of Scranton was almost unmatched, in that people started to go there to tour it and to see where this great show was filmed, and of course, where all the love stories from the show began. It created a reputation of Scranton that no one could have imagined when the show started.

3. The Love Stories

A lot of love fills the air in this TV series, which is an aspect that makes the audiences want to keep on watching as well.  Everyone loves a good love story!  There are multiple amorous adventures (i.e., love triangles) that form throughout the 9 seasons of “The Office.” Some examples of these include the very clingy Kelly and her love-interest Ryan, an on and off relationship between Angela and her love-interest Dwight, Phyllis and her husband Bob Vance, and of course everyone’s favorite, Jim and Pam.

One vexing issue with the relationship between Pam and Jim is that they have to deal with a never-ending flood of distractions like Roy (Pam’s old boyfriend), along the way to an incredible marriage ceremony in what has become an iconic cliffhanger episode. However, Jim and Pam aren’t perfect, and yet, that’s what makes them feel like the perfect couple to the viewer. They’re just two average people who just happen to work in the same zany office. If they can find love in that everyday environment, why can’t I?  They deal with losses, distance, and breakups and everything else that life throws at normal couples today.

4. The Humor

“The Office” is mainly loved for its great humor.  This show is my all time favorite because no matter how many times I have seen an episode, many of them still make me laugh out loud, even if I am by myself.  People like myself who watch “The Office” over and over again, cry laughing more times than one can count and it never seems to get old -- that’s not easy to do (when the viewer knows exactly what’s coming next.)  It is the comedic acting, timing and skill that make the show what it is.

From examples like the “That’s what she said” jokes by Michael Scott, to the pranks that happened between Jim and Dwight on a daily basis, to the weird sentences that seem to come out of Creed’s mouth, “The Office” brings a brand of humor that is not offered in most other shows we watch today.  

5. The Characters

This show is absolutely character-driven, without a doubt. Every single episode involves Michael doing something mind-numbingly rude or outlandish, Dwight being insane and Jim’s popular “look” into the camera. The cast that was chosen to play the roles of these characters were very skillful in improvisation since it is a huge part of what makes this show a great comedy. They really play the roles of the characters like they were really talking to the viewer. What really makes them stand out is that they are all unique and yet, relatable at the same time.  

It is easy to see yourself as Pam, for example, wondering if a receptionist is all she will ever be, and debating whether or not she can chase her dream by going to art school. Even Michael has relatable characteristics -- in wanting desperately to be loved and admired.  All the characters bring something to the table; even those the viewer never thought would matter. The actors that play these characters, really bring the best out of themselves to help us grow closer to them as you watch.  It doesn’t take long before the viewer connects with each of them, and that is a big part of what makes “The Office” extraordinary.

The actors skill in portraying the characters in the way they do, wrapped-up in zany plot-lines, really sets up this comedy in ways that are incredible and well thought out by the writers and directors of this show.  This aspect also helps the viewer really dig deeper into the emotions of each character and what roles they play in any particular plot-line.  But, perhaps most importantly, the viewer will get three main things out of watching “The Office” that seem to be universal: the viewer will laugh at all of the jokes made by Michael and his fellow employees, cry of laughter when they do things we never would think are funny, and you will want to continue watching because it will never get old.

[madisonballer23]

The Office: Aesthetic Critique/Review

The Office US version is a very well known sitcom and should be the one to turn on when you have the blues on any given day. This show was a Golden Globe winner, and one reason why was because there are many people that grew to love the characters. The main idea behind this sitcom is that it captures the universally gloomy experience of the office life that many people live in today. It is ironic that this series, though a revision of the British original, is one of the most unique and creative new comedies on NBC in years. This series consists of nine seasons, each containing 26 episodes, and it has all been ballsy, if not always satisfying, to many people all over the world.

The plot starts with the main character, where Steve Carell plays Michael Scott, the obnoxious boss who rose to his level of incompetence. In his role in this great show, Carell is nothing short of excellent in crafting his own version of a boss who is utterly unaware of how he is perceived by others. He is surrounded by a versatile cast chosen, in part, for their skill at improvisation since that is a large part of what makes this show a comedy. The whole cast is fantastic in their own respect, playing each character as if they are really talking to you. There are some characters in this series that at first seem very unlikeable and boring in some respects. But in the later seasons, they become more likeable through their actions, and from there it just gets funnier and funnier. Many of the episodes are shenanigans, but it is a straightforward plot that has many great and sometimes very emotional moments. Some of the main characters include Pam, who is the delightful and sweet, but frustrated receptionist, played by Jenna Fischer. John Krasinski smartly portrays Jim, the bored practical joker of the office. Rainn Wilson is hilarious as salesman Dwight Schrute, the tightly wound geek of the office who seems to always get pranked by Jim for being tightly wound all of the time.

Regarding the quality of the show visually, the editing is very snappy, but the cinematography is very on point for being filmed as a functional documentary. As you watch this show, you will notice that there are often times it will zoom in at the right moment at different scenes to reveal something about a character that you will need to know. A great example of this is the introduction to each episode of the show, because it snaps quickly from one shot to the next, and has each character in it that is doing something that reveals who they are. The show is overall never really out of step with itself and stays consistent, aside from meeting a couple new characters.

The writing in this show is great. Most of the show it seems like it is all improvised and not written, yet it is very smart and snappy. Sometimes missing one word can make or break a whole joke with the show, and a lot of small conversations lead to bigger events and days later in the show. An example of this improv, is when Michael goes in to kiss Oscar (an accountant) in an episode where Michael sets up a meeting to talk about LGBT issues. While this was very unexpected by many, it made that scene that much funnier than if they just ran through a script. This is really what makes this show great, because is is a great example of what a comedy should be in our day.