The first tenant mentioned in the preamble is to establish justice. Our justice system is in shambles, with new stories of innocent people being sentenced to long prison sentences and only now getting their freedom due to DNA testing. Not to mention the justice atrocities in Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay which not only fall far below our supposed justice standards, but broadcast a sour image to the rest of the world.

Providing for the common defense, indeed this is a very important facet of the constitution. But at what cost to the rest of our unalienable rights are we willing to give for the ‘ultimate’ protection? We have seen many of our rights being trampled on and no one seems to bat an eye at it, our when they do it is not to the level for which it should be taken… and I must admit I am guilty of this as well. We must demand that the government no longer be able to read our emails, listen to our phone calls, and other invasions of our privacy. If we do not I fear that we will lose all of the freedoms we take for granted.

One of the most important facets of the preamble is to promote the general welfare. This is a very broad statement, and one which must be taken as broad in scope as well. The general welfare of any person tends to the  basic necessities for survival; food,water, shelter, clothing, and air. The general welfare of a person also includes their health as well. This thus gives the government the express consent to do a variety of things. It allows the government to regulate the food industry to ensure that monopolies don’t form, and there is no price gouging of the goods provided. It gives them permission, with the consent of the people, to ensure that there are no issues with how how food is grown and cultivated to ensure that the spread of disease is minimal. With food, there is also the necessity to educate people about healthy eating habits, and to provide healthy foods, for families and individuals who can’t afford a nutritious meal.

Water and air are extremely important to our survival, and indeed the survival of most organic matter on our planet. It seems logical therefore, to allow the government to monitor the environment and ensure that we have a healthy and clean Earth to live upon. The current EPA regulations that are in place are OK, but the could be radically improved upon.

Since 1976, with help from Jimmy Carter, the Habitat for Humanity organization has been helping providing low income families with a place to call their own. The Salvation Army is also very helpful in providing clothing and other items at a low cost.

Health is a very important issue at this time, with the national debate varying wildly. There are those that feel that the government should not intervene in health care, because of fears instilled in them by the advocates for the insurance companies. They are concerned that a guarantee of health services by the government would mean a decrease in the quality of services provided. This is a strange belief seeing as we are ranked 37th in the world in health care. The number one rank belongs to France, who has a national health care plan. Some people believe that national health care would mean that the government would be able to decide your doctor, your hospital and take all freedom out of the equation. This is not what the governments role in health care should be, their role should be to guarantee all services to citizens when they are in need of it. People who have to deal with the bureaucracies of insurance companies, trying to get treatment when they have provided money month in and out to the company for insurance of their health.

If the founding fathers could see what our country has become today, they would be ashamed that we let the freedoms and personal liberties, and the welfare of the nation decline in such a way that it has. Our country was founded for the people’s interest and we should strive to attain this lofty goal. It is therefore our job to secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity before it is too late.

In the spring of 2004, Dan Connors and Kevin Bruner left LucasArts with a vision for a brand new type of interactive entertainment, and founded Telltale Games.

Five years later, Telltale has over 70 employees. In the time other developers take to create one game, we’ve put out more than twenty, featuring characters you know and love — Sam & Max, Strong Bad, Wallace & Gromit, and Bone. We’ve created games that are funny, creative, and have great stories. And since they’re episodic, you can actually finish them, and look forward to the next episode!

To show their appreciation for all of their fans, Telltale is offering all of their episodic content for just $5 an episode until June 17, 2009. To redeem this simply enter this coupon code upon online checkout at http://www.telltalegames.com/store/.

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There is something special about the analogue.It’s as if while that record is spinning you are taken to the place and time the record was recorded. Just yesterday I was listening to an Elvis presley album I own, in which he was playing a show in Vegas. I could feel the energy of the crowd, and the subtle echoes of time preserved on a 12 inch disc.

It could also be the fact that knowing you have a rare album makes you feel special in some way or form. Posessing an album which people may have never even heard of, and watching the record spin slowly round and round while the needle traces every imperfection.

There is hardly anything like it.

The tactile feel of the albums, and the tender care of Album cover design and inserts into the album are worth noting too. For example my copy of the Beatles white album still contains the poster and individual pictures of the band members as was included in its release. There is tender care in the included leaflets, and is awesome in its power to compel.

So I say a record spins slowly, and it gives you a window into a world unlike your own, albeit briefly, giving you glimpses of things you never would have considered before.

First up we have the Youtube user VaDrum, he is an excellent drummer. Here he does his rendition of The Barber of Seville.

Second we have Greg Pattillo with a beatbox flute rendition of Peter and the Wolf.

Third I present to you Art Rodriguez with a metal cover of Mozart’s Turkish March.

Last but least to complete these modern day classics, Zack Kim plays Prelude No.2 in C minor, by J.S.Bach on two guitars at the same time.

I’ve hope you’ve enjoyed this, as always have a great day.

And one of my personal favorites

The Valarian Project has been known to always pay of its debts. They have a proud reputation and have no indications of abandoning this creed. This level of integrity highly intrigues a certain bounty hunter, as he has had numerous debts squelched. If anyone had the honor of fulfilling payment, it would be the Valarian project.

Thunder began to roll in as Grell exited his Spacecraft. He walked slowly down the concord and exited the docking bay, all the while enjoying the scenery and collecting his thoughts. As Grell approached the market square leading to the projects’ headquarters, he noticed a shadowed figure in an alleyway watching him.

The rain began to pour. Grell took off after the figure, the rain slowly trickling across his wrinkled brow. The shadowed figure was quick and light on his heels, rounding a few corners before hiding in a dumpster. He had figured he had lost the bounty hunter, as he had lost sight of him after the second corner.

The rain became a torrent. Grell walked with a slow pace up to the dumpster. He lifted the lid and grabbed what appeared to be a creeping Nurple by the neck. He squeezed his thick hands and asked,  “Why are you stalking me?” The Nurples eyes began to bulge from their sockets, his mouth agape collecting the rain. The Nurple threw his arms about wildly. Grell loosened his grip, the Nurple coughed and sputtered before saying,  “Why should I tell y,” before finishing his sentence Grell had tightened his grip and with his free hand ripped the Nurples signature tail from his body.

A lighting bolt struck the ground nearby. The Nurple let out an unimaginable shriek, and spit up a few drops of blood. He then said,  “The Valarians have a contract out against our Patriarch and it is my duty to report which bounty hunters visit their headquarters”  Blood began to pour profusely from his tail section,  “Please take pity upon me, I am merely a messenger.”  Grell chuckled,  “You must not have heard of me before,”  and with that Grell took the Nurples tail, wrapped it around his neck and suffocated the poor beast.

The storm had passed on as Grell approached the Valarian Project carrying his new trophy. Upon entry he was escorted to a dark room where a voice emanated from all around him.  “I can see you have a Nurple with you,”  the voice said,  “there is no doubt then that you know our task.” Grell nodded laying the corpse before him, “My price is one million Parbles.”

“It will be done,”  the voice replied.

Grell hurried back to his ship, as he knew time was of the essence, the Project had undoubtedly cast many bounty hunters against this Nurple. He made his pre-flight check and was on his way to Falompop, home to many great Nurples.

Upon arrival on the planet Grell noticed a ship he had seen before departing. It was Raifia, and he was sure of it  An old comrade out to do the same task, Grell now knew this would be an interesting bounty. Grell left his craft, and went in search of a Nurple bound to know the secrets of not only his civilization but of many ancient ones. He waited until nightfall and went to a local establishment, and in the corner, a bottle to himself, there was the Subterranean Nurple Grell had been searching for.

A light wind began to wrap upon the bars front door. Grell approached the lush and said,  “If you value your life, then you will answer my questions.” There was no response.  “Where might I find your patriarch?” Silence. “Is he on this planet?”  Grell slammed his fist. Silence. Grell was becoming impatient, he knew this Nurple had information, and he was determined to find out what.

The wind had begun to pick up and a dust storm had engulfed the tavern.  “Why is it that you might be asking me for this information now,”  the Nurple finally responded.

“That is none of your concern.” Grell said.

“Oh but isn’t it? Do you think that you are the first to seek my guidance?”  The Nurple let out a long belch, “I know of the bounty contracted on my leader, and I have recently relinquished this information to another bounty hunter.”  Why then should I be so eager to now tell you.

“Well isn’t it obvious, now that you have said this much, there is no turning back.” Grell snorted and hissed as he finished his sentence, realizing Raifia may well get this bounty before him.  “If you were willing to give out this information then it is perfectly clear that you are at odds with your leader and this is heresy, you would not want this to get out would you?”

“Fine if you must resort to threats upon me, I will concede.” The Nurple seemed nervous and leaned in closely,  “He is in hiding on Relios IV, in an abandoned research facility, and please do not let it be known I helped you.” The Nurple looked upwards as if in prayer,  “It is bad that enough I witnessed the horrors I did under his command.”

The wind was now at a violent howl, and gusts frequently smashed into the walls of the tavern. Grell said nothing and walked toward the bartender.  “That man in  the corner is a traitor to your nations, he wishes the Patriarch dead.” Grell wanted no more bounty hunters on their way to Relios IV. As Grell got in his ship, he could hear the faint sounds of police sirens.

Relios IV is a highly populated planet, yet not one within the Nurples empire. Grell found it strange that the Nurple leader would hide in such an undesirable place. He asked the local denizens the location of the abandoned station. Not many people even knew of the existence of a research facility on their planet. One female however, was a former member and told Grell where it was located.

Grell approached the station as he heard a loud noise from within the building. It was no doubt Raifia had already collected the bounty. Grell dismayed, yet still curious approached the gate. He could see in the distance a hunched figure dragging another toward the gate.

The only noise audible was that of the figure dragging his corpse. Grell wait hidden to surprise his old friend as he departed the facility. He waited until the sounds had stopped at the entrance of the gate, and he lurched forward and yelled as loud as he could. To his surprise it was not Raifia that was there to greet him, at least not alive. The Nurplehopper had killed his comrade

Blood began to pulse through Grell’s body and the weather turned inclement. Rain began to pour, wind began to gust, thunder roaring, and lightning abound. In a fit of rage Grell leaped over the fence tearing a pole from its cemented hole in the ground. He held the pole vertical as he fell back to the ground, driving the pole straight through the Nurples abdomen.

The only thing on Grell’s mind was revenge, the rain downtrodden and heavy fell against him unlike any storm had before it, and this only fueled his savage nature. Grell busted through the main compound’s door and saw the Patriarch with a wry smile on his face.  “So you’ve come to kill me then?”

“What else would I do with you, you’re tyrannical days are over.”

Grell hurled himself forward and as he did, two flying creatures appeared and shot a sticky resin at his feet.  Oh did I fail to mention my companions?  Grell became infuriated he looked around for a solution as the Patriarch neared him. Nothing.

The Patriarch came closer and time was running out for Grell, he gave one last concerted effort to escape. He leaped high with a tremendous force that tore off his right foot. As Grell came down, he grabbed one of the companions in either hand and smashed them together as he hit the ground. He was in pain but his rage vastly overpowered that. Now he knew nothing was in his way, he flung one of the dead companions at the Patriarch as he fled hitting him in the leg and disturbing his gait.

Grell picked up the fallen Patriarch, who no longer looked like a great leader, fear stricken in his eyes he said,  “Please spare me.  I’ve done you no wrong.”

“Why do they always say that,”  Grell said as he slammed the patriarch’s spinal cord across his good leg.  “Now to collect my debt.”

Grell fitted his severed foot with a robotic counterpart on his ship as he made his way back to the Valarian Project. He could only stare at the remnants of a once mighty leader reduced to nothing. His thoughts centered around his own downfall, and he began to feel a tense pressure in his neck. He could no longer think about his family, they were gone and it was his fault, but he could not think of it any longer.

Grell was led into the same dark room he was in before and he laid down the Patriarch before him.  “Okay, I’ve done your task, now where is my money.”

The T3 awards are the pinnacle of all technology awards systems, and you decide what wins what awards.

To vote click here.

There are many more video’s on my youtube channel, http://www.youtube.com/user/mchmt55116

So who knew Mario was good at something else besides smashing goomba’s? Kudos to the author for a reference to a Stanley Kubrick Movie as well.