The time has come when your action could mean the difference between justice and injustice, home for the holidays or homeless in the cold. In the next few days over 100 families are facing eviction from their affordable apartments at the Woodlands. Right now your support, and your action, could provide the impetus they need to win their fight.

As you may know, Common Ground has been managing the Woodlands apartment complex for the past five months, with the intent to purchase the property to create cooperative housing, small business cooperatives, social programs and human services offices, all while keeping the lowest rents in the city. During this time CG rehabilitated over 100 units, and formalized rental relationships with signed leases. Through a series of bad faith dealings the former owner, Anthony Reginelli, sold the property to the Johnson Property Group, LLC. Now both are working together to evict the tenants just in time for the holidays.

Dogged by serious allegations of human rights abuses in Iraq, a leading profiteer from the Iraq war engages in intimidation campaigns against journalists in America who seek to expose its practices.

John Howard, lackey Prime Minister of Australia and member of the coalition of willing criminals, today stated that he is “horrified“ at the loss of life in Iraq. In view of the fact that Howard, Bush and Blair are DIRECTLY responsible for the illegal invasion and the hundreds of thousands of subsequent deaths in Iraq, we are horrified that these men have avoided prosecution to date!

Foreboding has hit the ranks of private equity firms; try as they might to unload vast amounts of funds (monetary value is inextricably linked to the movement of those funds) they have been unable to spend/invest at a rate that would sustain value let alone increase real profits! The ‘healthy figures’ reflecting increased acquisitions/investments are on paper only – it ‘looks good’ at the moment!

December 17, 2006 is the 144th anniversary of the worst official act of anti-Semitism in American history.

On that day in 1862, in the midst of the Civil War, Union general Ulysses S. Grant issued his infamous "General Order #11," expelling all Jews "as a class" from his conquered territories within 24 hours. Henry Halleck, the Union general-in-chief, wired Grant in support of his action, saying that neither he nor President Lincoln were opposed "to your expelling traitors and Jew peddlers."

A few months earlier, on 11 August, General William Tecumseh Sherman had warned in a letter to the Adjutant General of the Union Army that "the country will swarm with dishonest Jews" if continued trade in cotton is encouraged. And Grant also issued orders in November 1862 banning travel in general, by "the Israelites especially," because they were "such an intolerable nuisance," and railroad conductors were told that "no Jews are to be permitted to travel on the railroad."

As a result of Grant’s expulsion order, Jewish families were forced out of their homes in Paducah, Kentucky, Holly Springs and Oxford Mississippi, and a few were sent to prison. When some Jewish victims protested to President Lincoln, the Attorney General Edward Bates advised the President that he was indifferent to such objections.

Ludicrous assumptions are many but perhaps the most absurd is the assumption that those who steal the greater percentage of available wealth and continue to implement economic strategies designed to enslave are (somehow) safe and secure. From the Pacific islands to the pitch battles in Mainland China, exploited people of the world are retaliating against injustice.

As we speak, workers at Smithfield's plant in Tar Heel, N.C., are walking out of the plant in a spontaneous protest against Smithfield's abuse and intimidation after the company retaliated against workers standing up for their rights and demanding a voice on the job.

Please, help spread the word and demand Justice at Smithfield right now by sending a letter to Smithfield Chairman of the Board Joseph Luter III and Smithfield CEO C. Larry Pope, demanding them to stop the intimidation and abuse in the Tar Heel plant. You can also call the plant directly to express support for the workers by demanding an end to the abuse without retaliation against workers.

An Australian corporate director who FAILED to perform was recently relieved of his position; he nevertheless was able to walk with a $30 million severance package. This case is not uncommon, directors who fail to perform ensure they win regardless of other factors. Public companies are milk cows for these unscrupulous types.