Vertebrate species are going extinct at 10 to 100 times the usual rate, amounting to the start of a sixth mass extinction.

Invertebrates and plants also seem to be suffering extinction, but it is harder to compare the rate since there are many species we don't know about yet. Nonetheless, a study about land snails found a comparable result.

This extinction is mainly caused by humans' destruction of the species' habitats. We need to curb the human population and the tendency for frivolous waste.

Are wearable digital devices good for people? It depends who controls them. If the device is run by nonfree software, you must expect it to mistreat you. However, having control of the device's software and data is only the first step; it gives you the option of refusing to hand over the data to companies, but doesn't stop them from coercing or pressuring you to "agree".

Thus, we need to organize politically to stop employers or insurance companies from pushing people to accept snooping.

The Catholic Church position on birth control makes for universal poverty and environmental disaster. We of the wealthier countries can share our wealth to lift others out of poverty, but they must limit the size of the job. They must not make an unending series of additional poor people that we then must lift.

I am glad to see the Catholic Church on the progressive and green side on many important issues. With its help, we may perhaps be able to overcome the planet roasters. But we must not forget about sexual freedom and curbing population growth.

Authorized tent cities in Seattle provide housing to a few percent of the city's homeless.

But that's not enough.

Meanwhile, making it impossible for people once convicted of possession of drugs to have a place to live is an injustice, and self-defeating for society. If you wonder why 2/3 of prisoners released are back in prison within 3 years, perhaps it's because there's no room in society for an ex-con.

Behind all forms of homelessness in the US is the fact that there isn't enough housing in the US.

Jeremy Daw thanks Berkeley thugs for showing him how thugs lie to hurt second-class American citizens.