Vegans and Vegetarians Kill more Animals than Meat Eaters

It's kind of ironic and counter-intuitive that meat eaters like myself keep more animals alive than vegans. Think about it. What would happen if overnight, the entire world would turn vegan? First of all, the hundreds of millions of chickens, cows, pigs, and lambs raised for human food consumption would no longer be needed. The farmers who own them could no longer afford to feed them. Those animals would starve to death whether released (not practical) or not. The land the farmers own, including grazing land and therefore could no longer feed the farmers grazing animals, would need to be converted to crops to feed humans, but that would not be enough land to do the job. Also the land used to raise crops such as corn to feed farm animals would also need to be converted to feed humans. Still would not be enough food generated. Prairies and forests would then need to be converted for human food production. The animals and insects that occupied that land would lose their habitat and also die of starvation. Many will likely go extinct. Ocean fishing would increase dramatically in order to feed humans and the fish population would decrease substantially. Eventually, food sources may still be insufficient leading to higher levels of human starvation. In other words, vegans upset the balance of nature and through their diets kill more animals than they save – the direct opposite of their intentions.

Police Shootings - Who's Guilty

When you are stopped by police for questioning and/or arrest and you run from police, what options does the police officer have? It's his job to protect the community and thus stop you from getting away. He could possibly run after you, not knowing whether or not you are armed, and risk getting shot and killed. If he catches up to you and a fight most likely ensues as you are trying to stop from being arrested, you might win that fight, grab the cop's gun, and kill him/her as happens a few times every year. If he doesn't catch up to you and you get away, then the community is at risk as you may be a threat to kill or rob others. So if the cop shoots you as you run away - that's your fault, not his. If you had obeyed police orders as you are required to do by law and did not resist arrest as again you are required to do by law, you would be alive, and if necessary, given a fair trial. Who is more likely to get killed as a percentage of population - Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, or cops? Correct answer - cops. Parents teach your children to obey police orders, don't resist arrest, and don't verbally curse or harass cops who have stopped them. If people actually do that, all groups will have a lot less deaths during police encounters.

Veterans Health Care – How to Improve

Give the veterans who qualify for health benefits under today's rules a special VA Medicare card enabling them to go anywhere for their health care needs. Sell off to private medical companies and/or close the VA facilites. It would be better for the veterans and likely much cheaper for the government. When I qualified for VA benefits 3 years ago, I was warned not to drop out of my Medicare plans. The warning was a good one. I simply don't utilize the VA facilites because there are very few of them, it takes a long time to get an appointment, hospitals are more than an hour away plus poorly rated by the VA itself, and anything "expensive" isn't covered. I feel sorry for the vets in need who have no other real options.

Illegal Immigrants - How to Handle Effectively and Fairly

Most illegal immigrants are coming here to better their lives, not because they are in mortal danger. A few, possibly, but not most. That's why we currently have asylum procedures at legal ports of entry. Illegally sneaking over the border outside of these legal ports of entry is done because they know that they have no case for asylum or for remaining in the US. Let's make some effective, common sense changes to our immigration laws that rewards people who come here legally and has zero tolerance for those who do not.

Yes, for the families who sneaked illegally across our borders, keep the children together with their parents and/or accompanying adults, and also photograph, fingerprint and DNA them, then immediately deport them without a hearing, plus make it the law that they will never be allowed in the US for any reason again, while instituting a policy of checking those seeking asylum at our borders against those records. Also, change the asylum laws. If that's what a person or family wants and believes they deserve, then apply at a US Embassy, not at a legal point of entry. It has to be quicker, cheaper, and faster to get to a US Embassy within their own country then to cross through Mexico for weeks to get to the US. If the embassy approves, you're allowed in; if not, you go home. Also photograph, fingerprint and DNA the ones approved to ensure that the approved people come here, and not others with that paperwork. Always remember, for non-asylum reasons, we already have procedures and laws that allow over one million new immigrants a year to enter the U.S. LEGALLY with a path toward citizenship – that's more than all other nations on Earth combined!!

Also, for those who come here legally and temporarily on a visa, but then stay past their visa date and tell nobody, also expel them, but first take their photo, fingerprints, and DNA sample. Make exceptions for those who may have been incapictated medically to leave or notify anyone on time. For those who request a visa extension before the visa runs out for common sense reasons, such as the need to repeat a failed college course in order to qualify for a degree, grant the extension.

Finally, for all illegals currently under the radar and in our nation, pass a new law - no jobs, no public education, no drivers' licenses, no house nor apartment rentals or purchases, and no government benefits. Pass another law giving them 9 months to get out from the date of passage and publish it massively. If they don't get out within the 9 months, when caught, have the government take all their possessions – houses, cars, furniture, money, bank and brokerage accounts, then send them back with just the clothes on their backs. The 9 month delay is a humane measure intended to give them ample time to sell homes, cars, businesses, etc. and keep their wealth before deporting themselves willingly. Mexico once had a similar law for many years to keep Central Americans from emigrating to comparatively “rich” Mexico and it was very effective. Last point - pass laws with extensive jail times for all politicians and police who won't work with federal authorities on identifying and transferring illegals in their custody, and also any American citizens who knowingly assist illegal immigrants to stay here and avoid immigration authorities.

How Much Savings Needed for Retirement

At an "expected" 6% return on savings, you need to save at least 17 times annual income to match your current income. At 4%, you need 25 times annual income; at 8% you need 12.5 times annual income. From those numbers you can subtract the annual "value" of your expected Social Security benefits. For every $1,000 a month in expected SS benefits ($12,000 a year), your SS "value" is equivalent to savings of $300,000 at 4%, $200,000 at 6%, and $150,000 at 8%. Therefore $1,500 a month in SS benefits increases the value 50% at each interest rate; while $2,000 a month in SS benefits doubles the equivalent savings value at each expected interest rate return on investment. Despite fears that SS will go bankrupt and there will be no benefit, that fear is illogical. SS benefits are paid out of SS taxes collected each month from those working. While it is possible that without changes, there may be future SS benefit reductions, it will never be zero. Worst scenario without changes is a 25% reduction in benefits. The wrath of the people will likely force Congress to make changes at the last moment of the start of benefit reductions, as has been done in the past. Finally, do not expect to need less money in retirement unless your plan is to watch TV all day, 7 days a week.