By RP Staff, on Tue Feb 5, 2013 at 10:00 AM ET Last night, Kentucky Educational Television’s Kentucky Tonight program, hosted by Bill Goodman, featured a deeply substantive, and occasionally emotional, debate about the future of industrial hemp in the Bluegrass State. The combatants included The RP (Jonathan Miller), Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner James Comer, Kentucky State Police Commissioner Rodney Brewer, and Dan Smoot, vice president of Operation UNITE.
Mentioned in the debate were the following studies and legislative proposals.
Click below to watch the one hour broadcast:
By Jonathan Miller, on Mon Feb 4, 2013 at 7:30 PM ET
As The RP (Jonathan Miller) and Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner James Comer debate industrial hemp legalization with state law enforcement officials on Kentucky Tonight, join in the online debate on Twitter.
Your tweets will be posted LIVE below, and whenever possible, the panelists will respond to them, either on air, or afterwards online.
Some Guidelines:
- Use the hashtag #KYTonight somewhere within your tweet, and it will be posted LIVE below
- Refer to Jonathan Miller as @RecoveringPol, Commissioner Comer as @KYComer, and host Bill Goodman as @BillKET
- Click the following links to read the reports referenced in the debate:
By RP Staff, on Mon Feb 4, 2013 at 5:00 PM ET
KET’s Kentucky Tonight program with host Bill Goodman will discuss industrial hemp this evening at 8:00 PM ET.
Scheduled guests are:
– Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner James Comer
– Kentucky State Police Commissioner Rodney Brewer
– Former Kentucky State Treasurer Jonathan Miller, founder of The Recovering Politician
– Dan Smoot, vice president of Operation UNITE
The program is live on KET and at www.ket.org/live at 8:00 pm ET.
Viewers with questions and comments may send e-mail to kytonight@ket.org or use the message form at www.ket.org/kytonight. All messages should include first and last name and town or county. The phone number for viewer calls during the program is 1-800-494-7605.
You can come back to this site at 8:00 PM and join a LIVE Twitter debate — all of your tweets that use #KYTonight will be published LIVE at The Recovering Politician.
Kentucky Tonight programs are archived online, made available via podcast, and rebroadcast on KET, KET KY, and radio. Archived programs, information about podcasts, and broadcast schedules are available at www.ket.org/kytonight.
For your reading prior to or after the show, click here for a 1998 report produced by the University of Kentucky on the “Economic Impact of Industrial Hemp in Kentucky.” As you read the report, keep in mind that farmers and scientists have developed dozens of new applications for the crop since the report was prepared 15 years ago. The key findings in the report include:
- A market for industrial hemp exists in a number of specialty or niche markets in the United States, including specialty papers, animal bedding and foods and oils made from hemp.
- Additional markets could emerge for industrial hemp in the areas of automobile parts, replacements for fiberglass, upholstery, and carpets. Using current yields, prices, and production technology from other areas that have grown hemp, Kentucky farmers could earn a profit of approximately $320 per acre of hemp planted for straw production only or straw and grain production, $220 for grain production only, and $600 for raising certified seed for planting by other industrial hemp growers. In the long run, it is estimated that Kentucky farmers could earn roughly $120 per acre when growing industrial hemp for straw alone or straw and grain, and $340 an acre from growing certified hemp seed.
- Industrial hemp, when grown in rotation, may reduce weeds and raise yields for crops grown in following years. Several agronomic studies have found that industrial hemp was more effective than other crops at reducing selected weeds. One study found that industrial hemp raised yields by improving soil ventilation and water balance.
- The economic impact if Kentucky again becomes the main source for certified industrial hemp seed in the United States is estimated at 69 full-time equivalent jobs and $1,300,000 in worker earnings. The total economic impact in Kentucky, assuming one industrial hemp processing facility locating in Kentucky and selling certified seed to other growers, would be 303 full-time equivalent jobs and $6,700,000 in worker earnings. If two processing facilities were established in Kentucky, industrial hemp would have an economic impact of 537 fulltime equivalent jobs and $12,100,000 in worker earnings. If one processing facility and one industrial hemp paper-pulp plant were established in Kentucky, industrial hemp would have an economic impact of 771 full-time equivalent jobs and $17,600,000 in worker earnings.
- If just a fraction of the agricultural counties in Kentucky went into the industrial hemp business, thousands of jobs and sizable earnings would be created. If just one-fourth of Kentucky’s 90 agricultural counties went into industrial hemp business, approximately 17,348 jobs would be created and $396 million in worker earnings generated yearly.
- These economic impact estimates reflect possible outcomes for Kentucky given a national industrial hemp industry that is focused in specialty niche activities that have been demonstrated to work in Europe. It is important to remember, however, that technologies are under development that may allow industrial hemp products to compete in bulk commodity markets. The economic impacts that would occur if these technologies were found to be commercially feasible would be substantially greater than those identified in this report.
By Erica and Matt Chua, on Mon Feb 4, 2013 at 10:00 AM ET How much does it cost to travel the world for a year? Between $26,821-36,534 for two people*. In 2012 we spent $26,821**. In 2011 we spent $36,534***.
As always, the devil is in the details, those asterisks that terrorize our lives…those evil symbols that advertisers have trained us to recognize as “it’s possible, but only for a hypothetical person that we’ve never actually met, who managed to work through our very convoluted systems that our programmers assured us wasn’t possible”. Our numbers though are real, it’s what we’ve actually spent, visiting countries as expensive as Japan and Australia, and as cheap as Vietnam and Sri Lanka. This is every dollar we’ve spent traveling hundreds of thousands of miles. The asterisks are because everyone travels differently, these differences are the details that determine how much it would actually cost you.
HOW WE TRAVEL
We travel to see the sights, meet the people, taste the foods and try new things. We keep a budget as a guide, not as a limiter. Our costs reflect the following decisions:
– The length of our trip has never been a goal, we aren’t trying to stretch our time abroad by staying places for extended periods or saving money.
– We spend money on experiences. We didn’t hesitate to spend $600 per day to visit North Korea, $50 for the “world’s best” pizza in Sao Paulo, or $1000 hiking in New Zealand.
– We travel overland whenever possible. Grueling at times, overland travel has given us the opportunity to see more of countries, savor the local foods and interact with locals the way they travel. How else would you experience this!?!
We met Amit by overland traveling in India. Later he showed us Israel, this “Amit” tour was one of our 2012 highlights.
– Hostels and Couchsurfing are home. We stay in dorms when private rooms cost substantially more. We only Couchsurf when we can connect with a host, not just to save money.
– We average a new city every four days. We set off with the goal of seeing whatever interested us in the world, having visited over 200 cities we learned that a lot of the world interested us. Moving costs money as shown by transportation (ground and air) being our largest area of spending.
– We didn’t visit Europe or North America. Our costs reflect a vast majority of time spent in the developing world, which is substantially cheaper than Europe, the USA or Canada. We set off with very few goals, but number one was to see the rapidly changing developing world, we have keep true to this mission.
These are the things that affect our spending, for everyone it is different. We’ve met people that are comfortable spending $20/day and people that couldn’t possibly be comfortable for less than $1000/day.
Read the rest of…
Matt and Erica Chua: Cost to Travel the World
By RP Staff, on Fri Feb 1, 2013 at 5:00 PM ET KET’s February 4 Kentucky Tonight program with host Bill Goodman will discuss industrial hemp.
Scheduled guests are:
– Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner James Comer
– Kentucky State Police Commissioner Rodney Brewer
– Former Kentucky State Treasurer Jonathan Miller, founder of The Recovering Politician
– Dan Smoot, vice president of Operation UNITE
The program is live on KET and at www.ket.org/live at 8:00 pm ET.
Viewers with questions and comments may send e-mail to kytonight@ket.org or use the message form at www.ket.org/kytonight. Viewers may also submit questions and comments on Twitter @BillKET, #kytonight, or on KET’s Facebook page. All messages should include first and last name and town or county. The phone number for viewer calls during the program is 1-800-494-7605.
Kentucky Tonight programs are archived online, made available via podcast, and rebroadcast on KET, KET KY, and radio. Archived programs, information about podcasts, and broadcast schedules are available at www.ket.org/kytonight.
By Jonathan Miller, on Thu Jan 31, 2013 at 3:14 PM ET OK, OK, don’t worry, fellow progressives and Democrats. I haven’t gone over to the dark side. I will be enthusiastically supporting the Democratic nominee for Kentucky’s U.S. Senate seat in 2014.
However, I think it is very, very important to congratulate any public official who does the right thing, even when we might disagree with him/her on other major issues. And when it comes to industrial hemp, Senator Mitch McConnell made a statement that I believe will have long term, very positive implications for the struggling economy of the Bluegrass State, as well as potentially tremendous environmental benefits for the planet.
From the press release of Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Jamie Comer (who deserves plenty of kudos himself for his leadership on this issue:
MCCONNELL SUPPORTS INDUSTRIAL HEMP;
PAUL, YARMUTH, MASSIE TO TESTIFY WITH COMER;
NORTHERN KENTUCKY CHAMBER ENDORSES SB 50
FRANKFORT, Ky. — Today, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell issued a statement of support for Agriculture Commissioner James Comer and the effort to re-introduce industrial hemp into Kentucky agriculture. Leader McConnell’s office issued the following statement:
“After long discussions with Senator Rand Paul and Commissioner James Comer on the economic benefits of industrialized hemp, I am convinced that allowing its production will be a positive development for Kentucky’s farm families and economy. Commissioner Comer has assured me that his office is committed to pursuing industrialized hemp production in a way that does not compromise Kentucky law enforcement’s marijuana eradication efforts or in any way promote illegal drug use. The utilization of hemp to produce everything from clothing to paper is real, and if there is a capacity to center a new domestic industry in Kentucky that will create jobs in these difficult economic times, that sounds like a good thing to me.”
Comer expressed enormous gratitude for McConnell’s support:
“When the most powerful Republican in the country calls to discuss your issue, that’s a good day on the job,” Comer said.
“Leader McConnell’s support adds immeasurable strength to our efforts to bring good jobs to Kentucky.”
In unprecedented bi-partisan cooperation, U.S. Reps. John Yarmuth and Thomas Massie are confirmed to testify alongside U.S. Senator Rand Paul and Commissioner Comer in support of Senate Bill 50, state Senator Paul Hornback’s legislation on industrial hemp.
“Our federal delegation is showing tremendous leadership,” Comer said. “They recognize this is not a partisan issue. It’s about jobs. And we will continue to push forward to make sure Kentucky is first in line for them.”
Adding to this momentum, the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce today voted unanimously to support SB 50 after hearing arguments on its behalf from state Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer and Senator Hornback. The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council is also expected to pass a resolution endorsing the industrial hemp initiative today.
SB 50 will be heard in the Senate Agriculture Committee on Feb. 11, 2013 at 11 a.m. EST.
By Jonathan Miller, on Thu Jan 31, 2013 at 10:00 AM ET
By Jonathan Miller, on Mon Jan 28, 2013 at 3:00 PM ET
By Erica and Matt Chua, on Mon Jan 28, 2013 at 9:15 AM ET Travel itself is enlightening, but we learn just as much by the books we read. Since our last book report in 2012, we’ve continued reading opportunistically…reading whatever we find left by other travelers. While this has allowed us to read a variety of books, this year we purchased several titles as well. Here are our favorite books of late and what we learned.
.
HE SAID…
While wandering the aisles in a Kolkota, India bookstore this year I had a revelation: I should be using this period of my life to study and practice new skills. Then and there I committed to reading several “self-help” books that I can’t recommend highly enough.
–How to Win Friends and Influence People (Carnegie). I saw this title on my mother’s bookshelf throughout my childhood. I always thought it was some corny sales book that focused on deception and smooth-talking. Then the monk at our 10-silent meditation retreat told us it was “Buddhism for real life” and how shocked he was that it contained so many valuable lessons. I think anyone who can get over the title will be impressed by the lessons.
–How to Talk to Anyone (Lowndes). The 92 tips in this book help people break into conversations, revive failing conversations, and get people that you converse with to leave with a positive impression. This book is much like Carnegie’s above, but more practical. Having been a wallflower at too many events, the first few lessons I turned to interested me so much I bought the book. It was an investment that will pay dividends throughout life.
–Rich Dad, Poor Dad (Kiyosaki). The seminal personal finance book I’ve read many parts, but never the whole book. I loved the aggressive “if I can do it you can too” tone of the book along with the practical lessons. He put to paper many of the lessons I’ve learned from multi-millionaire mentors I’ve had in my career that taught me to focus on investment cashflow over ordinary income.
Read the rest of…
Matt & Erica Chua: He Said-She Said — Required Road Reading
By Erica and Matt Chua, on Mon Jan 21, 2013 at 9:15 AM ET Where was your country 3200 years ago? Were loin-clothed warriors chasing wild game with spears? Were people living nomadically or in cities? If they lived in cities, did their world extend beyond the city walls? Odds are you, like I, don’t know much about what happened at our home 3200 years ago. Egypt though is different, not only is their history known, but the temples, tools and writings still exist. There is nowhere that has as much history, as old as Egypt, making the entire country a true World Wonder.
Were your ancestors being subjugated by the powerful Egyptians as these “Asians” and “Africans” are depicted at the Abu Simbel Temple?
Egypt’s major sights are spread conveniently along the Nile as the Ancient Egyptian society was for thousands of years. Where to start though? How about the bottom end of the Empire, visiting sights as the Nile flows to the North? Not only does this make for easy trip planning, but also makes the trip easier to enjoy, beginning in tranquil Aswan, working your way towards the chaos of the 21-million person capital, Cairo.
Abu Simbel’s massive statues have stood along the Nile for over 3200 years to demonstrate Egyptian supremacy. They stand to warn welcome you to the Pharaoh’s territory…
What will you see by starting in Aswan? You’ll start walking like an Egyptian in one of the country’s best sights, the Abu Simbel Temples.
Read the rest of…
Matt & Erica Chua: Walk Like an Egyptian — Starting Point
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