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George Takei: How It Got Better

From a happy home to a Japanese internment camp to Skid Row, nothing could stop George Takei from making it. One of the most outspoken gay actors shares his story.

Bush's Toxic Legacy in Iraq

Peter Bergen CNN
The Bush administration presided over the rise of precisely what it had said was one of the key goals of the Iraq War to destroy: a safe haven for al Qaeda in the heart of the Arab world.

'Freedom Summer' 2014

David Goodman USA Today
50 years after the murder of my brother, Andrew Goodman, voter rights still threatened.

Prosecutor Is Closing in on Gov. Christie

Scott Raab and Lisa Brennan Esquire
Indictments against four cronies are near certain, sources say. Only question is if David Samson, Christie's longtime mentor, will flip.

Moral Mondays Are Back in Business

The first Moral Monday since court struck down the North Carolina General Assembly's new rules — interpreted by many as measures designed to silence the Moral Monday Forward Together movement — singing, praying, chanting, and civil disobedience arrests looked a lot like what we saw from Moral Monday in 2013.

The Raleigh News and Observer reports:

Days after persuading a Superior Court judge to suspend some new rules for the N.C. Legislative Building, protesters were back on Monday, raising their voices by many decibels against a state budget and Republican-controlled agenda they describe as "extremist."

As the demonstrators tested the breadth of the order signed Monday by Judge Carl Fox about the overly broad definition of "disturbing behavior," General Assembly police checked with their attorneys on the depth of their authority to remove the noisemakers from the state building.

About 20 minutes after the N.C. Senate went into session, law enforcement officers began wrapping plastic cuffs around the wrists of 20 demonstrators who had continued singing, chanting and speechmaking after being asked to quietly leave the rotunda area outside the General Assembly chambers.

The scene was reminiscent of last summer, when more than 900 demonstrators were arrested for similar actions.

Read more here.

Professor Louie: The Cockroach

The good Professor Louie of Brooklyn has a rap for us about why the cockroach is so successful, hoping we will take a hint before our short stay on this planet is over. Live at the People's Voice Cafe, NY, Jan 2012. Accompanied by Fast Eddie.
 

NSA vs USA

Shahid Buttar lays down a bass track with a message:
 
What does it mean to monitor thoughts?
Spying means a lot more than watching what you bought
it's the Feds always knowing what you’ve got in your head
 
Full lyrics here
 

Friday Nite Videos -- June 20, 2014

Portside
NSA vs USA. George Takei: How It Got Better. Professor Louie: The Cockroach. Orange Is The New Black: Monsanto. Moral Mondays Are Back in Business.

Scott Walker Suspected of Coordinating with Outside Groups

By Matea Gold and Tom Hamburger The Washington Post
Wisconsin prosecutors have alleged that Gov. Scott Walker was part of a wide-ranging “criminal scheme” to coordinate the activities of conservative groups that spent millions to help him and other Republicans fend off recall efforts.