Pushing Daisies--Dead or Alive?

It is always nice to see a new show on TV that is unique and filled with unfamiliar storylines, and Pushing Daisies is both. Bryan Fuller's new show on ABC has all the right components to be a new favorite: humor, drama, and a love story, all of which revolve around the main character, Ned, who can bring dead people back to life.

Pushing Daisies makes light of a normally serious subject: death. Ned has the power to bring dead people back to life by simply touching them. They stay alive for a full minute, after which they will remain alive unless Ned touches them again. If he decides to keep them alive another person in close proximity will die. Ned decides to use his power to help solve crimes by bringing people back to life and asking them how they died. If they were murdered, they would surely remember who killed them. Then, once he knows how the person died, he touches them again and kills them for good.

All of the characters seem to be hopped up on caffeine, or sugar, which is fitting because the storyline revolves around Ned's pie bakery: Pie Hole. Everyone talks a mile a minute and is quite witty. Watching Ned use discretion in who to keep alive and who to "re-kill" is quite comical as it pokes fun at the finality of death. Ned's humbleness paired with his god-like powers to determine who dies and who gets another chance at life make for a light-hearted story that you will surely enjoy.

If you haven't seen an episode yet, catch a new one on ABC, Wednesday nights at 8. There is a recap at the beginning of every episode which will bring you up to speed if you're new to the show, or remind you what happened last week if you're an avid watcher. Enjoy!

College: Time Well....Wasted?

It’s amazing how many college students in our generation take higher learning for granted. And believe me, I’m not any better, I know I take my college education for granted, but it seems hard not to. It is increasingly becoming a way of life. After high school, you go to college. No questions asked. It’s just what you do. This was different for the generation before us, and for the generation before that, a college education was only for the elite. For us--it's expected.

Society's higher expectations for our generation seem to result in a growing cynicism amongst college students of the importance of a college degree. When I was in high school, I knew I would be going to college afterwards; there was no doubt in my mind. I was young and excited, and I had big dreams for myself. I thought that a college degree would be my ticket to whatever career I wanted. Now that I am in college though, I find reasons not to attend class, despite the ridiculous amount of money that I spend on every unit I take. The more classes I take, the closer I am to obtaining my degree, the more I think a college degree is overrated. I have found that in the real world, it is all about who you know, rather that what you know.

Some students who feel the same cynicism towards college made a video called “A Vision of Students Today”. Some 200 college students, led by their professor, made the video to highlight the problems of higher education today. The students created a survey and took it, then collaborated all of the answers to find trends that are detrimental to the college system.

“A Vision of Students Today” is quite an eye-opening video that touches on many concerns of students today. They are concerns that plague many college students around the country, not just the few students who voiced their opinion on the video. I think these problems deserve to be looked at carefully, and I believe as more students realize the problems with our education system, more students will become cynical to the importance of a college degree.

The part of the video that talks about the number of pages a student will read in a semester, and how much of the reading will actually pertain to her life was most amusing to me. Professors assign reading homework, it seems, just to have something for their students to do. Unless there is a test designed specifically for the reading, most of what professors have us read is useless. And the cost of textbooks is even more outrageous than the fact that we have to read them! It baffles me that, after tuition is paid, students still fork out hundreds of dollars just on books! Usually books they will never need again.

I agree with the students in the video, students learn what they are doing, not necessarily what they are reading. Hands-on, real-life homework assignments are much more helpful to students. Filling out a scantron and marking bubbles A through E do not help them once they have their diploma. Being involved in real-world situations that would plague someone in their prospective profession is much more valuable than knowing all the key terms at the back of a chapter. Some professors know this, others will, hopefully, get on board soon. It is the only way our outdated education system will be revived.

Give Pizza Chance

If you are looking for a fun place to hang out and some good food to eat, you should go to Pieces. Great people, great atmosphere, great food—what more could you want in a restaurant? Pieces has all three PLUS great prices! It’s every broke college student’s dream pizzeria.

Pieces is a small, hole-the-wall pizza-by-the-slice restaurant that is probably (unfortunately) overlooked by many that walk by it. Its laid back atmosphere is very welcoming to everyone that visits. It has a comfortable vibe that is great for a dinner out with friends, or a night of studying. Pieces offers inside and outside seating, catering to everyone's needs. It is open during the week from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. during the week, on Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. and on Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.

If the atmosphere doesn't keep you coming back, the food definitely will. Pieces is by far the best pizza I have had in Sacramento. They offer pizza-lover favorites like, pepperoni and cheese, among others. But they also have a great veggie pizza and an amazing pesto pizza that will win your heart. The slices are huge and are made to order. Kind of . Pizzas are already baked, but you can add on extra produce like pineapple. Unlike many restaurants, what's great about Pieces is they bring in fresh groceries everyday, and that is what they use for their pizza. And don't forget the fresh garlic! If that isn't enough, their pesto sticks are killer, and are also big to help fill you up. Pieces also offers fresh salads and fresh baked desserts, as well as beer!

The staff is great too. Everyone is very friendly and helpful. I have yet to have an experience with a server that was anywhere near less than satisfactory. All of the employees are always in a good mood and are funny. They welcome conversation and always greet customers with a smile. Their laid back personalities feed into the great vibe at Pieces.

Another great thing about Pieces is it is one of the few places that stay open later than last call. Post-2 a.m. restaurants are hard to find, unless Denny's will satisfy your drunken craving for greasy food. This is good for night-owls that aren't ready to go home when bars close. Pieces is a great place to wind down the night, or a great place to get the night started. Whether you're drunk or sober, the next time you're in the midtown area, make sure you stop by 21st and Capitol for some great food, you'll leave feeling better than you did when you went in.