Max

That's a pretty huge question and an enormous source of debate in the US, but on a basic level the U.S. Constitution gives very few requirements for exactly what the federal government does (namely, make, interpret, and enforce laws) but there are oodles of federal laws that decide what the federal government will do. States have their own constitutions that direct what they're responsible for, as well as all the state laws. There's occasionally conflict, like in California when the state allows medicinal marijuana but federal agents raid pot dispensaries for violating federal law. So, every state is different in what it does for its citizens -- there are a dozen and a half states that control the sale of liquor, while the rest let it flow freely. What decides this is almost entirely written in law, some in constitutions.

Did the hair remind anyone else of Conan?

Assassin's Creed was way cooler than the new Prince of Persia, however repetitive it became...I'm looking forward to the new one for sure, but it's going to be a hard decision to actually pay $60 for it.

I'm no good a chess myself. Tried it way to many times, it' just like slamming my head against the wall (ouch). Anywayz, I have a friend who is apparently second place for his age in the state of california...while at his house once trying to figure out what his new laptop was good for, I tried out Chessmaster 9 million or something. Boy, was that a mistake! I tried the absolute easiest difficulty level (which happened to be a 5-year-old girl named Kelsey, but lets not go there) and I...lost. But my friend is damn good.