Podcasts about Cayman Islands

While on a Caribbean cruise, we had a stop in Grand Cayman...so we went birding!  Fortunately for us, Geddes with Silver Thatch Expeditions, was available to take us around.  We added a few new birds, saw the sights, and even found Blue Iguanas!Adventure begins at: 10:00Show notesSpring Chirp The Great Backyard Bird Count BirdsCaribbean Queen Elizabeth II Botanical Garden Booby Pond Geddes' Contact - Silver Thatch ExpeditionseBird Trip ReportBirds/Animals mentionedBlue Iguana West Indian Whistling-Duck Western SpindalisIntro Bird Call: Vitilline Warbler (Recorded: Grand Cayman, November 2025)Outro Bird Call:  Yucatan Vireo (Recorded: Grand Cayman, November 2025)Support the showConnect with us at... IG: @Hannahgoesbirding and @ErikgoesbirdingFacebook: @HannahandErikGoBirdingEmail us at HannahandErikGoBirding@gmail.comWebsite: http://www.gobirdingpodcast.comVenmo: @hannahanderikgobirdingGet a discount at Buteo Books using code: BIRDNERDBOOKCLUB

In this episode of Life Beyond The Mic, Shawna and LaLa talk about why they're stepping away from one-size-fits-all, textbook medicine and embracing a more holistic, individualized approach to healthcare, all while preparing for the snowstorm of the century.  They open up about medical gaslighting, being dismissed by doctors, and the importance of doing your own research, bringing case studies to appointments, and getting second (and third) opinions. Both share moments when doctors didn't listen, and how they were right all along.  LaLa discusses the devastating reality of medical negligence and how her colon ruptured after five doctors failed to take her symptoms seriously.Shawna also shares a major update: after 36 years of unanswered questions, she recently met with a genetics doctor who may finally have answers related to her Cerebral Palsy and other long-standing health issues that have gone unexplained for decades.  This episode is a reminder that patient advocacy saves lives, holistic health looks at the whole person, and you are allowed to push for answers, even when the system makes it hard.

In this Best Beers of 2025 episode, Jason and Bri break out the imaginary red carpet and count down the most memorable beers they drank all year — Golden Globes style, but with fuzzy socks and Buffalo wind chills.From sipping a Yuzu Mango Golden Ale aboard a Norwegian cruise ship during a Bills playoff game, to discovering dessert-in-a-glass triple IPAs, cocktail-inspired sours, tropical island lagers, and a peanut butter stout that never misses, the duo revisits the beers that truly stood out in 2025. Along the way, they share travel stories from the Cayman Islands, brewery hopping across New York State, Collaboration Fest highlights, and one bittersweet honorable mention from a beloved brewery that closed its doors.Featured breweries include Terrapin / 66 by Norwegian, Eli Fish Brewing, Cayman Islands Brewery, Frequentum Brewing, Scale House Brewery, Monster Beach Brewing, and Arkane Aleworks — each with a story, a setting, and a beer that earned its place on the list.It's a mix of laughs, memories, and genuinely great beer talk — proving that sometimes the best beers aren't just about flavor, but where you were, who you were with, and the stories that came with the pour.

Send us a text  One year down , how many to go ? This week Snow is back to talk about Martin Luther King , vacationing in the Cayman Islands, no escaping MAGA, the NFL playoffs, checking your eyesight and then we are joined by our good friend Jim Foley Navy Veteran and foreign policy expert to talk about Minneapolis, The Military , legal orders , NATO, Greenland, Russia, Ukraine, the US dollar, who is the puppet master ? Conspiracies and what the 2026 election might be like. A lot to fit into an hour but it's a good conversation  Follow us at Reality Redemption on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, BlueSky and Tik Tok

In this powerful and wide-ranging episode of Gangland Wire, host Gary Jenkins sits down with Ken Behr, author of One Step Over the Line: Confessions of a Marijuana Mercenary. Behr tells his astonishing life story—from teenage marijuana dealer in South Florida, to high-level drug runner and smuggler, to DEA cooperating source working major international cases. Along the way, he offers rare, first-hand insight into how large-scale drug operations actually worked during the height of the War on Drugs—and why that war, in his view, has largely failed. From Smuggler to Source Behr describes growing up during the explosion of the drug trade in South Florida during the 1970s and 1980s, where smuggling marijuana and cocaine became almost commonplace. He explains how he moved from street-level dealing into large-scale logistics—off-loading planes, running covert runways in the Everglades, moving thousands of pounds of marijuana, and participating in international smuggling operations involving Canada, Jamaica, Colombia, and the Bahamas. After multiple arrests—including a serious RICO case that threatened him with decades in prison—Behr made the life-altering decision to cooperate with the DEA. What followed was a tense and dangerous double life as an undercover operative, helping law enforcement dismantle major trafficking networks while living under constant pressure and fear of exposure. Inside the Mechanics of the Drug Trade This episode goes deep into the nuts and bolts of organized drug trafficking, including: How clandestine runways were built and dismantled in minutes How aircraft were guided into unlit landing zones How smuggling crews were paid and organized Why most drug operations ultimately collapse from inside The role of asset seizures in federal drug enforcement Hit me up on Venmo for a cup of coffee or a shot and a beer @ganglandwire Click here to “buy me a cup of coffee” Subscribe to the website for weekly notifications about updates and other Mob information. To go to the store or make a donation or rent Ballot Theft: Burglary, Murder, Coverup, click here To rent ‘Brothers against Brothers’ or ‘Gangland Wire,’ the documentaries click here.  To purchase one of my books, click here. Transcript [00:00:00] well, hey, all your wire taps. It’s good to be back here in studio of Gangland Wire. I have a special guest today. He has a book called, uh, title is One Step Over the Line and, and he went several steps over the line, I think in his life. Ken Bearer, welcome Ken. Thanks for having me. Thanks for having me. Now, Ken, Ken is a, was a marijuana smuggler at one time and, and ended up working with the DEA, so he went from one side over to my side and, and I always like to talk to you guys that that helped us in law enforcement and I, there’s a lot of guys that don’t like that out there, but I like you guys you were a huge help to us in law enforcement and ended up doing the right thing after you made a lot of money. So tell us about the money. We were just starting to talk about the money. Tell us about the money, all those millions and millions of dollars that you drug smuggler makes. What happens? Well, I, you know, like I said, um, Jimmy Buffett’s song a pirate looks at 40, basically, he says, I made enough money to to buy Miami and pissed it away all so fast, never meant to last. And, and that’s what happens. I do know a few people that have [00:01:00] put away money. One of my friends that we did a lot of money together, a lot of drug dealing and a lot of moving some product, and he’s put the money away. Got in bed with some other guy that was, you know, legal, bought a bunch of warehouses, and now he lives a great life, living off the money he put away. Yeah. If the rents and stuff, he, he got into real estate. Other guys have got into real estate and they got out and they ended up doing okay. ’cause now they’re drawing all those rents. That’s a good way to money. Exactly what he did. Uh, my favorite, I was telling you a favorite story of mine was the guy that was a small time dealer used to hang out at the beach. And, uh, we en he ended up saving $80,000, which was a lot of money back then. Yeah. And then put it all, went to school to be a culinary chef and then got a job at the Marriott as a culinary chef and a chef. So he, you know, he really took the money, made a little bit of money, didn’t make a lot Yeah. But made enough to go to school and do something with his life. That’s so, um, that’s a great one. That’s a good one [00:02:00] there. That’s real. Yeah. But he wasn’t a big time guy. Yeah. You know what, what happens is you might make a big lick. You know, I, I never made million dollar moves. I have lots of friends that did. I always said I didn’t want to be a smuggler. ’cause I was making a steady living, being a drug runner. If you brought in 40, 50,000 pounds of weed, you would come to me and then I would move it across the country and sell it in different, along with other guys like me. Having said that, so I say I’m a guy that never wanted to do a smuggling trip. I’ve done 12 of them. Yeah. Even though, you know, and you know, if you’ve been in the DEA side twelve’s a lot for somebody usually. Yeah. That’s a lot. They don’t make, there’s no longevity. Two or three trips. No. You know, I did it for 20 years. Yeah. And then finally I got busted one time in Massachusetts in 1988. We had 40,000 pounds stuck up in Canada. So a friend of mine comes to me, another friend had the 40,000 pounds up there. He couldn’t sell it. He goes, Hey, you wanna help me smuggle [00:03:00] this back into America? Which, you know, is going the wrong direction. The farther north it goes, the more money it’s worth. I would’ve taken it to Greenland for Christ’s sakes. Yeah. But, we smuggled it back in. What we did this time was obviously they, they brought a freighter or a big ship to bring the 40,000 pounds into Canada. Mm-hmm. He added, stuffed in a fish a fish packing plant in a freezer somewhere up there. And so we used the sea plane and we flew from a lake in Canada to a lake in Maine where the plane would pull up, I’d unload. Then stash it. And we really did like to get 1400 pounds. We had to go through like six or seven trips. ’cause the plane would only hold 200 and something pounds. Yeah. And a sea plane can’t land at night. It has to land during the day. Yeah. You can’t land a plane in the middle of a lake in the night, I guess yourself. Yeah. I see. Uh, and so we got, I got busted moving that load to another market and that cost, uh, [00:04:00] cost me about $80,000 in two years of fighting in court to get out of that. Yeah. Uh, but I did beat the case for illegal search and seizure. So one for the good guys. It wasn’t for the good guys. Well the constitution, he pulled me over looking for fireworks and, ’cause it was 4th of July and, yeah. The name of that chapter in the book is why I never work on a holiday. So you don’t wanna spend your holiday in jail ’cause there’s no, you can’t on your birthday. So another, the second time I got busted was in 92. So just a couple years later after, basically I was in the system for two years with the loss, you know, fighting it and that, that was for Rico. I was looking at 25 years. But, uh, but like a normal smuggling trip. I’ll tell you one, we did, I brought, I actually did my first smuggling trip. I was on the run in Jamaica from a, a case that I got named in and I was like 19 living down in Jamaica to cool out. And then my buddies came down. So we ended up bringing out 600 pounds. So that was my first tr I was about 19 or [00:05:00] 20 years old when I did my first trip. I brought out 600 pounds outta Jamaica. A friend of mine had a little Navajo and we flew it out with that, but. I’ll give you an example of a smuggling trip. So a friend of mine came to me and he wanted to load 300 kilos of Coke in Columbia and bring it into America. And he wanted to know if I knew anybody that could load him 300 kilos. So I did. I introduced him to a friend of mine that Ronnie Vest. He’s the only person you’ll appreciate this. Remember how he kept wanting to extradite all the, the guys from Columbia when we got busted, indict him? Yes. And of course, Escobar’s living in his own jail with his own exit. Yeah. You know, and yeah. So the Columbian government says, well, we want somebody, why don’t you extradite somebody to America, to Columbia? So Ronnie Vest had gotten caught bringing a load of weed outta Columbia. You know, they sent ’em back to America. So that colo, the Americans go, I’ll tell you what you want. Somebody. And Ronnie Vests got the first good friend of mine, first American to be [00:06:00] extradited to Columbia to serve time. So he did a couple years in the Columbian prison. And so he’s the one that had the cocaine connection now. ’cause he spent time in Columbia. Yeah. And you know, so we brought in 300 kilos of Coke. He actually, I didn’t load it. He got another load from somebody else. But, so in the middle of the night, you set up on a road to nowhere in the Everglades, there’s so many Floridas flat, you’ve got all these desolate areas. We go out there with four or five guys. We take, I have some of ’em here somewhere. Callum glow sticks. You know the, the, the glow sticks you break, uh, yeah. And some flashing lights throw ’em out there. Yeah. And we set up a, yeah, the pilot came in and we all laid in the woods waiting for the plane to come in. And as soon as the pilot clicks. The mic four times. It’s, we all click our mics four times and then we run out. He said to his copilot, he says, look, I mean, we lit up this road from the sky. He goes, it looks like MIA [00:07:00] behind the international airport. But it happens like that within a couple, like a minute, we’ll light that whole thing up. Me and one other guy run down the runway. It’s a lot, it’s a long run, believe me. We put out the lights, we gotta put out the center lights and then the marker lights, because you gotta have the center of the runway where the plane’s gonna land and the edge is where it can’t, right? Yeah. He pulls up, bring up a couple cars, I’m driving one of them, load the kilos in. And then we have to refuel the plane because you don’t, you know, you want to have enough fuel to get back to an FBO to your landing airport or real airport. Yeah. Not the one we made in the Everglades. Yeah. And then the trick is the car’s gotta get out of there. Yeah, before the plane takes off. ’cause when that plane takes off, you know you got a twin engine plane landing is quiet, taking off at full throttle’s gonna wake up the whole neighborhood. So once we got out of there, then they went ahead and got the plane off. And then the remaining guys, they gotta clean up the mess. We want to use this again. So we [00:08:00] wanna clean up all the wires, the radios. Mm-hmm. Pick up the fuel tanks, pick up the runway lights, and their job is to clean that off and all that’s gonna take place before the police even get down the main road. Right? Mm-hmm. That’s gonna all take place in less than 10 minutes. Wow. I mean, the offload takes, the offload takes, you can offload about a thousand pounds, which I’ve done in three minutes. Wow. But, and then refueling the plane, getting everything else cleaned up. Takes longer. Yeah. Interesting. So how many guys would, would be on that operation and how do you pay that? How do you decide who gets paid what? How much? Okay. So get it up front or, I always curious about the details, how that stuff, I don’t think I got paid enough. And I’ll be honest, it was a hell of a chance. I got 20 grand looking at 15 years if you get caught. Yeah. But I did it for the excitement. 20 grand wasn’t that much. I had my own gig making more money than that Uhhuh, you know, but I was also racing cars. I was, there’s a [00:09:00] picture of one of my race cars. Oh cool. So that costs about six, 7,000 a weekend. Yeah. And remember I’m talking about 1980s dollars. Yeah. That’s 20,000 a weekend. A weekend, yes. Yeah. And that 20,000 for a night’s work in today’s world would be 60. Yeah. Three. And I’m talking about 1985 versus, that was 40 years ago. Yeah. Um. But it’s a lot of fun and, uh, and, but it, you kind of say to yourself, what was that one step over the line? That’s why I wrote the book. I remember as a kid thinking in my twenties, man, I’ve taken one step over the line. So the full name of the book is One Step Over the Line Con Confessions of a Marijuana Mercenary. That’s me actually working for the DEA. That picture was at the time when I was working for the DEA, so the second time I got busted in 1992 was actually for the smallest amount of weed that I ever got, ever really had. It was like 80, a hundred pounds. But unfortunately it was for Rico. I didn’t know at the [00:10:00] time, but when they arrested me, I thought, oh, they only caught me with a hundred pounds. But I got charged with Rico. So I was looking at 25 years. What, how, what? Did they have some other, it must have had some other offenses that they could tie to and maybe guns and stuff or something that get that gun. No, we never used guns ever. Just other, other smuggling operations. Yeah, yeah. Me, me and my high school friend, he had moved to Ohio in 77 or 78, so he had called me one time, he was working at the Ford plant and he goes, Hey, I think I could sell some weed up here. All right. I said, come on down, I’ll give you a couple pounds. So he drives down from Ohio on his weekend off, all the way from Ohio. I gave him two pounds. He drove home, calls me back. He goes, I sold it. So I go, all right. He goes, I’m gonna get some more. So at that time, I was working for one of the largest marijuana smugglers in US History. His name was Donny Steinberg. I was just a kid, you know, like my job, part of my [00:11:00] job was to, they would gimme a Learjet. About a million or two and I jump on a Learjet and fly to the Cayman Islands. I was like 19 years old. Same time, you know, kid. Yeah, just a kid. 19 or 20 and yeah. 18, I think. And so I ended up doing that a few times. That was a lot of fun. And that’s nice to be a kid in the Learjet and they give me a million or two and they gimme a thousand dollars for the day’s work. I thought I was rich, I was, but people gotta understand that’s in that 78 money, not that’s, yeah. That was more like $10,000 for day, I guess. Yeah. You know? Yeah. It was a lot of money for an 18, 19-year-old kid. Yeah. Donnie gives me a bail. So Terry comes back from Ohio, we shoved the bale into his car. Barely would fit ’cause he had no big trunk on this Firebird. He had, he had a Firebird trans Am with the thunder black with a thunder, thunder chicken on the hood. It was on the hood. Oh cool. That was, that was a catch meow back then. Yeah. Yeah. It got it with that [00:12:00] Ford plant money. And uh, by the way, that was after that 50 pounds got up. ’cause every bail’s about 50 pounds. That’s the last he quit forward the next day. I bet. And me and him had built a 12 year, we were moving. Probably 50 tons up there over the 12 year period. You know, probably, I don’t know, anywhere from 50 to a hundred thousand pounds we would have, he must have been setting up other dealers. So among his friends, he must have been running around. He had the distribution, I was setting up the distribution network and you had the supply. I see. Yeah. I was the Florida connection. It’s every time you get busted, the cops always wanna grab that Florida connection. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. You gotta go down there. I there, lemme tell you, you know, I got into this. We were living in, I was born on a farm in New Jersey, like in know Norman Rockwell, 1950s, cow pies and hay bales. And then we moved to New Orleans in 1969 and then where my dad had business and right after, not sure after that, he died when I was 13. As I say in the book, I [00:13:00] probably wouldn’t have been writing the book if my father was alive. Yeah. ’cause I probably wouldn’t have went down that road, you know? But so my mother decides in 1973 to move us to, uh, south Florida, to get away from the drugs in the CD underside of New Orleans. Yeah. I guess she didn’t read the papers. No. So I moved from New Orleans to the star, the war on where the war on drugs would start. I always say if she’d have moved me to Palo Alto, I’d be Bill Gates, but No. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was so, uh, and everybody I knew was running drugs, smuggling drugs, trying to be a drug deal. I mean, I was, I had my own operation. I was upper middle level, but there were guys like me everywhere. Mm-hmm. There were guys like me everywhere, moving a thou, I mean, moving a thousand, 2000 pounds at the time was a big thing, you know? That’s, yeah. So, so about what year was that? I started in 19. 70. Okay. Three. I was [00:14:00] 16. Started selling drugs outta my mom’s house, me and my brother. We had a very good business going. And by the time I was got busted, it was 19 92. So, so you watched, especially in South Florida, you watched like where that plane could go down and go back up that at eventually the feds will come up with radar and they have blimps and they have big Bertha stuff down there to then catch those kinds of things. Yeah. Right, right. Big Bertha was the blimp. Uhhuh, uh, they put up, yeah. In the beginning you could just fly right in. We did one trip one time. This is this, my, my buddy picked up, I don’t know, 40 or 50 kilos in The Bahamas. So you fly into Fort Lauderdale and you call in like you’re gonna do a normal landing. Mm-hmm. And the BLI there. This is all 1980s, five. You know, they already know. They’re doing this, but you just call in, like you’re coming to land in Fort Lauderdale, and what you do is right before you land, you hit the tower up and you tell ’em you wanna do a [00:15:00] go around, meaning you’re not comfortable with the landing. Mm-hmm. Well, they’ll always leave you a go around because they don’t want you to crash. Yeah. And right west of the airport was a golf course, and right next to the golf course, oh, about a mile down the road was my townhouse. So we’re in the townhouse. My buddies all put on, two of the guys, put on black, get big knives, gear, and I drive to one road on the golf course and my other friend grows Dr. We drop the guys off in the golf course as the plane’s gonna do the touchdown at the airport. He says, I gotta go around. As he’s pulling up now, he’s 200 feet below the radar, just opens up the side of the plane. Mm-hmm. The kickers, we call ’em, they’re called kickers. He kicks the baskets, the ba and the guys on, on the golf court. They’re hugging trees. Yeah. You don’t wanna be under that thing. Right. You got a 200, you got maybe a 40 pound package coming in at 120 miles an hour from 200 feet up. It’ll break the bra. It’ll yeah. The [00:16:00] branches will kill you. Yeah. So they pull up, they get out, I pull back up in the pickup truck, he runs out, jumps in the back of the truck, yells, hit it. We drive the mile through the back roads to my townhouse. Get the coke in the house. My buddy rips it open with a knife. It’s and pulls out some blow. And he looks at me, he goes, Hey, let’s get outta here. And I go, where are we going? Cops come and he goes, ah, I got two tickets. No, four tickets to the Eddie Murphy concert. So we left the blow in this trunk of his car. Oh. Oh, oh man. I know. We went to Eddie Murphy about a million dollars worth of product in the trunk. Oh. And, uh, saw a great show and came back and off they went. That’s what I’m trying to point out is that’s how fast it goes down, man. It’s to do. Yeah. Right in, in 30 minutes. We got it out. Now the thing about drug deals is we always call ’em dds delayed dope deals because the smuggling [00:17:00] trip could take six months to plan. Yeah. You know, they never go, there’s no organized crime in organized crime. Yeah. No organization did it. Yeah. And then, then of course, in 1992 when I got busted and was looking at Rico, a friend of mine came up to me. He was a yacht broker. He had gotten in trouble selling a boat, and he said, Hey, I’d you like to work for the DEA. I’d done three months in jail. I knew I was looking at time, I knew I had nothing. My lawyers told me, Kenny, you either figure something out or you’re going to jail for a mm-hmm. And I just had a newborn baby. I just got married three weeks earlier and we had a newborn baby. I said, what are you crazy? I mean, I’m waiting for my wife to hear me. You know, he’s calling me on the phone. He goes, meet me for lunch. I go meet him for lunch. And he explains to me that he’s gonna, he’s got a guy in the, uh, central district in Jacksonville, and he’s a DEA agent, and I should go talk to him. And so the DEA made a deal with the Ohio police that anything that I [00:18:00] confiscated, anything that I did, any assets I got, they would get a share in as long as they released me. Yeah. To them. And, you know, it’s all about the, I hate to say this, I’m not saying that you don’t want to take drugs off the street, but if you’re the police department and you’re an agent, it’s about asset seizures. Yeah. Yeah. That’s how you fund the dr. The war on drugs. Yeah. The war begets war. You know, I mean, oh, I know, been Florida was, I understand here’s a deal. You’re like suing shit against the tide, right? Fighting that drug thing. Okay? It just keeps coming in. It keeps getting cheaper. It keeps getting more and more. You make a little lick now and then make a little lick now and then, but then you start seeing these fancy cars and all this money out there that you can get to. If you make the right score, you, you, you hit the right people, you can get a bunch of money, maybe two or three really cool cars for your unit. So then you’ll start focusing on, go after the money. I know it’s not right, but you’re already losing your shoveling shit against the tide anyhow, so just go after the goal. [00:19:00] One time I set up this hash deal for the DEA from Amsterdam. The guy brought the hash in, and I had my agent, you know, I, I didn’t set up the deal. The guy came to me and said, we have 200 kilos of hash. Can you help us sell it? He didn’t know that I was working for the DEA, he was from Europe. And I said, sure. The, the thing was, I, so in the boat ready to close the deal, now my guy is from Central. I’m in I’m in Fort Lauderdale, which is Southern District. So he goes, Hey, can you get that man to bring that sailboat up to Jacksonville? I go, buddy, he just sailed across the Atlantic. He ain’t going to Jacksonville. So the central district has to come down, or is a northern district? I can’t remember if it’s northern or central. Has to come down to the Southern district. So, you know, they gotta make phone calls. Everybody’s gotta be in Yep. Bump heads. So I’m on the boat and he calls me, he goes, Hey, we gotta act now. Yeah. And I’m looking at the mark, I go, why? He [00:20:00] goes, customs is on the dock. We don’t want them involved. So you got the two? Yeah. So I bring him up, I go, where’s the hash? He goes, it’s in the car. So we go up to the car and he opens the trunk, and I, I pull back one of the duffle bags I see. I can tell immediately it’s product. So I go like this, and all hell breaks loose, right? Yeah. I could see the two customs agents and they’re all dressed like hillbillies. They, you know. So I said to my, my handler, the next day I called them up to debrief. You know, I have to debrief after every year, everything. I goes, so what happened when customs I go, what’d they want to do? He goes, yep. They wanted to chop the boat in threes. So they’re gonna sell the boat and the 2D EA offices are gonna trade it. Yeah. Are gonna shop the money. Yeah. I remember when I registered with the DEA in, in, in the Southern district, I had to tell ’em who I was. They go, why are you working for him? Why aren’t you working for us? I’m like, buddy, I’m not in charge here. This is, you know? Yeah. I heard that many [00:21:00] times through different cases we did, where the, the local cop would say to me, why don’t you come work for us? Oh yeah. Try to steal your informant. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So how about that? So, can you get a piece of the action if they had a big case seizure? Yeah. Did they have some deal where you’d get a piece of that action there? Yep. That’s a pretty good deal. Yeah. So I would get, I, I’d get, like, if we brought down, he would always tell everybody that he needed money to buy electronics and then he would come to me and go, here’s 2000. And to the other cis, he had three guys. I saw a friend of mine, the guy that got me into the deal. Them a million dollar house or a couple million dollar house. And I saw the DEA hand him a suitcase with a million dollars cash in it. Wow. I mean, I’m sorry, with a hundred thousand cash. A hundred thousand. Okay. I was gonna say, I was thinking a million. Well, a hundred thousand. Yeah, a hundred thousand. I’ve heard that. I just didn’t have any experience with it myself. But I heard that. I saw, saw Open it up, saw money. I saw the money. It was one of those aluminum halla, Halliburton reef cases and Yeah, yeah. A [00:22:00] hundred thousand cash. But, uh, but you know, um, it’s funny, somebody once asked me out of, as a kid I wanted to be a cowboy, a race car driver, and a secret agent. Me too. Yes. Yeah. I didn’t want, I wanted to be a, I grew up on a farm, so I kind of rode a horse. I had that watched Rowdy, you got saved background as me, man. Yeah. You know, we watched, we watched, we grew up on westerns. We watched Gun Smoke, rowdy. Oh yeah. You know, uh, bananas, uh, you know, so, um. So anyway, uh, I got to raise cars with my drug money, and I guess I’m not sure if I was more of a secret agent working as a drug dealer or as the DEA, but it’s a lot of I, you know, I make jokes about it now, but it’s a lot of stress working undercover. Oh, yeah. Oh, I can’t even imagine that. I never worked undercover. I, that was not my thing. I like surveillance and putting pieces together and running sources, but man, that actual working undercover that’s gotta be nerve wracking. It’s, you know, and, and my handler was good at it, but [00:23:00] he would step out and let, here’s, I’ll tell you this. One day he calls me up and he goes, Hey, I’m down here in Fort Lauderdale. You need to come down here right now. And I’m having dinner at my house about 15 minutes away. Now he lives in Jacksonville. I go, what’s he doing in Fort Lauderdale? So I drive down to the hotel and he’s got a legal pad and a pen. He goes, my, uh, my, my seniors want to, uh, want you to proffer. You need to tell me everything you ever did. And they want me to do a proffer. And I go, I looked at him. I go, John, I can’t do that. He start, we start writing. I start telling him stuff. I stop. I go, I grew up in this town. Everybody I know I did a drug deal with from high school, I go, I would be giving you every single kid, every family, man, I grew up here. My, I’m gonna be in jail, and my wife and my one and a half year old daughter are gonna be the only people left in this town, and they’re not gonna have any support. And I just can’t do this to all my friends. Yeah. So he says, all right, puts the pen down. I knew [00:24:00] he hated paperwork, so I had a good shot. He wasn’t gonna, he goes, yeah, you hungry? I go, yeah. He goes, let’s go get a steak. And right across the street was a place called Chuck Steakhouse, which great little steak restaurant. All right. So we go over there, he goes, and he is a big guy. He goes, sit right here. I go, all right. So I sit down. I, I’m getting a free steak. I’m gonna sit about through the steak dinner, it goes. Look over my shoulder. So I do this. He goes, see the guy at the bar in the black leather jacket. I go, yeah. He goes, when I get up and walk outta here, when I clear the door, I want you to go up to him and find a talk drug deal. See what you can get out of him. I go, you want me to walk up to a complete stranger and say, he goes, I’m gonna walk out the door. When I get out the door. You’re gonna go up and say, cap Captain Bobby. That was his, he was a ca a boat captain and his nickname, his handle was Captain Bobby. And he was theoretically the next Vietnam vet that now is a smuggler, you know?[00:25:00] Yeah. And so he walks out the door and I walked out and sat with the guy at the bar and we started, I said, hi, captain Bobby sent me, I’m his right hand man, you know, to talk about. And we talked and I looked around the bar trying to see if anybody was with him. And I’m figuring, now I’m looking at the guy going, why is he so open with me? And I’m thinking, you know what? He’s wearing a leather jacket. He’s in Florida. I bet you he’s got a wire on and he’s working for customs and I’m working for the DEA, so nothing ever came of it. But you know, that was, you know, you’re sitting there eating dinner and all of a sudden, you know, look over my shoulder. Yeah. And, you know, and I’m trying to balance all that with having a newborn that’s about a year old and my wife and Yeah. Looking at 25 years. So a little bit of pressure. But, you know, hey and I understand these federal agencies, everybody’s got, everybody is, uh, uh, aggressive. Everybody is ambitious. And you just are this guy in the middle and right. And they’ll throw you to the [00:26:00] wolves in a second. Second, what have you done for a second? Right? It’s what have you done for me lately? He’s calling me up and said, Hey, I don’t got any product from you in a minute. I go, well, I’m working on it. He goes, well, you know, they’ll kick you outta the program. Yeah. But one of the things he did he was one of, he was the GS 13. So he had some, you know, he had level, you know, level 15 or whatever, you know, he was, yeah. Almost at the head of near retirement too. And he said, look, he had me, he had another guy that was a superstar, another guy. And we would work as a team and he would feed us all the leads. In other words, if David had a case, I’d be on that case. So when I went to go to go to trial or go to my final, he had 14 or 15 different things that he had penciled me in to be involved with. The biggest deal we did at the end of my two years with the DEA was we brought down the Canadian mob. They got him for 10,000 kilos of cocaine, import 10,000 kilos. It was the Hell’s Angels, the Rock something, motorcycle [00:27:00] gang, the Italian Mafia and the, and the Irish mob. Mm-hmm. And the guy, I mean, this is some badass guys. I was just a player, but. The state of Ohio, they got to fly up there and you know, I mean, no words, the dog and pony show was always on to give everybody, you know. Yes. A bite at the apple. Oh yeah. But I’ll tell you this, it’s been 33 years and the two people that I’m close to is my arresting officer in Ohio and my DEA handler in Jacksonville. The arresting officer, when he retired, he called to gimme his new cell phone. And every year or so I call him up around Christmas and say, Dennis, thank you for the opportunity to turn my life around, because I’ve got four great kids. I’ve started businesses, you know, he knows what I’ve done with my life. And the DEA handler, that’s, he’s a friend of mine. I mean, you know, we talk all the time and check on each other. And, you know, I mean, he’s, [00:28:00] they’re my friends. A lot of, not too many of the guys are left from those days that will talk to me. Yeah, probably not. And most of them are dead or in jail anyhow. For, well, a lot of ’em are, maybe not even because of you, I mean, because that’s their life. No, but a lot of them, a number of ’em turned their lives around, went into legal businesses and have done well. Yeah. So, you know, there really have, so not all of ’em, but a good share of ’em have turned, because we weren’t middle class kids. We were, my one friend was, dad was the lieutenant of the police department. The other one was the post guy. We weren’t inner city kids. Yeah. We weren’t meeting we, the drug war landed on us and we just, we were recruited into it. As young as I talk about in my book. But I mean, let’s talk about what’s going on now. Now. Yeah. And listen, I’m gonna put some statistics out there. Last year, 250,000 people were charged with cannabis. 92% for simple possession. There’s [00:29:00] people still in jail for marijuana doing life sentences. I’ve had friends do 27 years only for marijuana. No nonviolent crimes, first time offender. 22 years, 10 years. And the government is, I’ve been involved with things where the government was smuggling the drugs. I mean, go with the Iran Contra scandal that happened. We were trading guns for cocaine with the Nicaraguans in the Sandon Easterns. Yeah. Those same pilots. Gene Hassen Fus flew for Air America and Vietnam moving drugs and gun and, and guns out of Cambodia. Same guy. Air America. Yeah. The American government gave their soldiers opium in Civil War to keep ’em marching. You know, I mean, we did a deal with Lucky Luciano, where we let ’em out of prison for doing heroin exchange for Intel from, from Europe on during World War II and his, and the mob watching the docks for the, uh, cargo ships. So the government’s been intertwined in the war on drugs on two [00:30:00] sides of it. Yeah. You know, and not that it makes it right. Look, I’ve lost several friends to fentanyl that thought they were doing coke and did fentanyl or didn’t even know there was any. They just accidentally did fentanyl and it’s a horrible drug. But those boats coming out of Venezuela don’t have fentanyl on ’em. No. Get cocaine maybe. If that, and they might be, they’re probably going to Europe. Europe and they’re going to Europe. Yeah, they’re going, yeah. They’re doubt they’re going to Europe. Yeah. Yeah. And so let’s put it this way. I got busted for running a 12 year ongoing criminal enterprise. We moved probably 50 tons of marijuana. You know what? Cut me down? One guy got busted with one pound and he turned in one other guy that went all the way up to us. So if you blew up those boats, you know, you’re, you need the leads. You, you can’t kill your clients. Yeah. You know, how are you gonna get, not gonna get any leads outta that. Well, that’s, uh, well, I’m just saying [00:31:00] you right. The, if they followed the boat to the mothership Yeah. They’d have the whole crew and all the cargo. Yeah. You know, it’s, those boats maybe have 200 kilos on ’em. A piece. Yeah. The mothership has six tons. Yeah. That’s it. It’s all about the, uh, the, um, uh, optics. Optics, yeah. That’s the word. It’s all about the optics and, and the politic, you know, in, in some way it may deter some people, but I don’t, I I, I’ve never seen anything, any consequence. In that drug business, there’s too much money. There is no consequence that is really ever gonna deter people from smuggling drugs. Let me put it this way, except for a few people like yourself, there’s a few like yourself that get to a certain age and the consequence of going to prison for a long time may, you know, may bring you around or the, all the risk you’re taking just, you know, you can’t take it anymore, but you gotta do something. But no, well, I got busted twice. Consequence just don’t matter. There is no consequence that’s gonna do anything. Here’s why. And you’re right. [00:32:00] One is how do you get in a race car and not think you’re gonna die? Because you always think it’s gonna happen to somebody else. Exactly. And the drug business is the same. It’s, I’m not, it’s not gonna happen to me tonight. And those guys in Venezuela, they have no electricity. They have no water. Yeah. They got nothing. They have a chance to go out and make a couple thousand dollars and change their family’s lives. Yeah. Or they’re being, they’re got family members in the gar, in the gangs that are forcing them to do it. Yeah. It’s the war on drugs has kind of been a political war and an optics war from the seventies. I mean, it’s nobody, listen, I always say, I say in my book, nobody loved it more than the cops, the lawyers and the politicians. No shit. In Fort Lauderdale, they had nothing, and all of a sudden the drug wars brought night scopes and cigarette boats and fancy cars and new offices. Yes. And new courthouses, and new jails and Yep. I don’t have an answer. Yeah. The problem is, [00:33:00] you know what I’m gonna say, America, Mexico doesn’t have a drug problem. Columbia doesn’t have a drug problem. No. America has a drug problem. Those are just way stations to get the product in. In the cover of my book, it says, you don’t sell drugs, you supply them like ammunition in a war. It’s a, people, we, how do we fix this? How do we get the American people? Oh, by the way, here’s a perfect example. Marijuana is legal in a majority of states. You don’t see anybody smuggling marijuana in, I actually heard two stories of people that are smuggling marijuana out of the country. I’ve heard that. I’ve heard that. Yeah. They’re growing so much marijuana in America that it’s worth shipping to other places, either legally or illegally. Yeah. And, and, and you know, the biggest problem is like, what they’ll do is they’ll set up dispensaries, with the green marijuana leaf on it, like it’s some health [00:34:00] dispensary. But they, they just won’t it’ll be off the books. It just won’t have the licensing and all that. And, you know, you run that for a while and then maybe you get caught, maybe you don’t. And so it’s, you know, it’s, well, the other thing is with that dispensary license. It’s highly regulated, but you can get a lot of stuff in the gray. So there’s three markets now. There’s the white market, which is the legal Yeah. Business that, you know, you can buy stocks in the companies and whatnot. Yeah. There’s the black market, which is the guy on the street that Kenny Bear used to be. And then there’s the gray market where people are taking black market product and funneling it through the white markets without intact, you know, the taxes and the licensing and the, the, uh, testing for, you know, you have to test marijuana for pesticides. Metals, yeah. And, and the oils and the derivatives. You know, there’s oil and there’s all these derivatives. They have to be tested. Well, you could slide it through the gray market into the white market. So I know it’s a addiction, you know, whether it’s gambling or sex or Right. Or [00:35:00] there’s always gonna be people who are gonna take advantage and make money off of addiction. The mafia, you know, they refined it during the prohibition. All these people that drink, you know, and a lot, admittedly, a lot of ’em are social drinkers, but awful lot of ’em work. They had to have it. And so, you know, then gambling addiction. And that’s, uh, well here’s what I say. If it wasn’t for Prohibition Vegas, the mob never would’ve had the power and the money to build Vegas. No, they wouldn’t have anything. So when you outlaw something that people want, you’re creating a, a business. If, if somebody, somebody said the other day, if you made all the drugs legal in America, would that put out, put the drug cartels in Mexico and Columbia and out of business? Yeah, maybe. How about this statistic? About 20 to 30,000 people a year die from cocaine overdose. Most have a medical condition. Unknown unbe, besides, they’re not ODing on cocaine. Yeah. Alright. 300,000 people a year die from obesity. Yeah. And [00:36:00] another, almost four, I think 700, I don’t know, I might be about to say a half a million die from alcohol and tobacco. Mm-hmm. I could be low on that figure. So you’re, you probably are low. Yeah. I could be way more than that. But on my point is we’re regulating alcohol, tobacco, and certainly don’t care how much food you eat, and why don’t we have a medical system that takes care of these people. I don’t know that the answer if I did, but I’m just saying it, making this stuff more valuable and making bigger crime syndicates doesn’t make sense. Yeah. See a addiction is such a psychological, spiritual. Physical maldy that people can’t really separate the three and they don’t, people that, that aren’t involved and then getting some kind of recovery, they can’t understand why somebody would go back and do it again after they maybe were clean for a while. You know, that’s a big common problem with putting money into the treatment center [00:37:00] business. Yep. Because people do go to treatment two and three times and, and maybe they never get, some people never, they’ll chase it to death. No, and I can’t explain it. And you know, I, I’ll tell you what, I have my own little podcast. It’s called One Step Over the Line. Mm-hmm. And I released a show last night about a friend of mine, his name is Ron Black. You can watch it or any of your listeners can watch it, and Ron was, went down to the depths of addiction, but he did it a long time ago when they really spent a lot of time and energy to get, you know, they really put him through his system. 18 months, Ron got out clean and he came from a good family. He was raised right. He didn’t, you know, he had some trauma in his life. He had some severe trauma as a child, but he built one of the largest addiction. He has a company that he’s, he ran drug counseling services. He’s been in the space 20 or 30 years, giving back. He has a company that trains counselors to be addiction specialists. He has classes for addiction counseling. He become certified [00:38:00] members. He’s run drug rehabs. He donates to the, you know, you gotta wa if you get a chance to go to my podcast, one step over the line and, and watch this episode we did last night. Probably not the most exciting, you know, like my stories. Yeah. But Ronnie really did go through the entire addiction process from losing everything. Yeah. And pulling himself out. But he was also had a lot of family. You know, he had the right steps. A lot of these kids I was in jail with. Black and brown, inter or inner city youth, whatever, you know, their national, you know, race or nationality, they don’t have a chance. Yeah. They’re in jail with their fathers, their cousins, their brothers. Mm-hmm. The law, the war on drugs, and the laws on drugs specifically affect them. And are they, I remember thinking, is this kid safer in this jail with a cement roof over his head? A, a hot three hot meals and a bed than being back on the [00:39:00] streets? Yeah. He was, I mean. Need to, I used to do a program working with, uh, relatives of addicts. And so this mother was really worried about her son gonna go to jail next time he went to court. And he, she had told me enough about him by then. I said, you know, ma’am, I just wanna tell you something he’s safer doing about a year or so in jail than he is doing a year or so on the streets. Yeah. And she said, she just looked at me and she said, you know, you’re right. You’re right. So she quit worried about and trying to get money and trying to help him out because she was just, she was killing him, getting him out and putting him back on the streets. This kid was gonna die one way or the other, either shot or overdosed or whatever. But I’ll tell you another story. My best friend growing up in New Orleans was Frankie Monteleone. They owned the Monte Hotel. They own the family was worth, the ho half a billion dollars at the time, maybe. And Frankie was a, a diabetic. And he was a, a junk. He was a a because of the diabetic needles. [00:40:00] He kind of became a cocaine junkie, you know, shooting up coke. You know, I guess the needle that kept him alive was, you know, I, you know, again the addict mentality. Right, right. You can’t explain it. So he got, so he got busted trying to sell a couple grams. They made it into a bigger case by mentioning more product conspiracy. His father said, got a, the, the father made a deal to give him a year and a half in club Fed. Yeah. He could, you know, get a tan, practice his tennis, learn chess come out and be the heir to one of the richest families in the world, all right. He got a year and a half. Frankie did 10 years in prison. ’cause every time he got out, he got violated. Oh yeah. I remember going to his federal probation officer to get my bicycle. He was riding when he got violated. Mm-hmm. And I said, I said, sir, he was in a big building in Fort Lauderdale or you know, courthouse office building above the courthouse. I go, there’s so many cops, lawyers, [00:41:00] judges, that are doing blow on a Saturday night that are smoking pot, that are drinking more than they should all around us. You’ve got a kid that comes from one of the wealthiest families in America that’s never gonna hurt another citizen. He’s just, he’s an addict, not a criminal. He needs a doctor, not a jail. And you know what the guy said to me? He goes but those people aren’t on probation. I, I know. He did. 10 years in and out of prison. Finally got out, finally got off of paper, didn’t stop doing drugs. Ended up dying in a dentist chair of an overdose. Yeah. So you, you never fixed them, you just imprisoned somebody that would’ve never heard another American. Yeah, but we spent, it cost us a lot of money. You know, I, I, I dunno what the answer is. The war on drugs is, we spent over, we spent 80, let’s say since 1973. The, the DEA got started in 73, let’s say. Since that time we’ve, what’s that? 70 something years? Yeah. We’ve done [00:42:00] no, uh, 50, 60. Yeah. 50 something. Yeah. Been 50. We spent a trillion dollars. We spent a trillion dollars. The longest and most expensive war in American history is against its own people. Yeah. Trying to save ’em. I know it’s cra it’s crazy. Yeah, I know. And it, over the years, it just took on this life of its own. Yeah. And believe me, there was a, there’s a whole lot of young guys like you only, didn’t go down the drug path, but you like that action and you like getting those cool cars and doing that cool stuff and, and there’s TV shows about it as part of the culture. And so you’re like, you got this part of this big action thing that’s going on that I, you know, it ain’t right. I, I bigger than all of us. I don’t know. I know. All I like to say I had long hair and some New Orleans old man said to me when I was a kid, he goes, you know why you got that long hair boy? And this is 1969. Yeah, 70. I go, why is that [00:43:00] sir? He goes, ’cause the girls like it. The girls didn’t like it. You wouldn’t have it. I thought about it. I’m trying to be a hippie. I was all this, you know, rebel. I thought about it. I go, boy, he’s probably right. Comes down to sex. Especially a young boy. Well, I mean, I’m 15 years old. I may not even how you look. Yeah. I’m not, listen, at 15, I probably was only getting a second base on a whim, you know? Yeah. But, but they paid attention to you. Yeah. Back in those days you, you know, second base was a lot. Yeah. Really. I remember. Sure. Not as, not as advanced as they are today. I don’t think so. But anyway, that’s my story. Um, all right, Ken b this has been fun. It’s been great. I I really had a lot of fun talking to you. And the book is 1, 1, 1 took over the line. No one, no, no. That’s a Friday slip. One step over that. But that was what I came up with the name. I, I believe you, I heard that song. Yeah. I go, I know, I’m, I’ve just taken one step over the line. So that’s where the book actually one step over the line confessions of a marijuana mercenary. [00:44:00] And I’ll tell you, if your listeners go to my website, one step over the line.com, go to the tile that says MP three or the tile that says digital on that website. Put in the code one, the number one step, and then the number 100. So one step 100, they can get a free, they can download a free copy. Yeah, I got you. Okay. Okay. I appreciate it. That’d be good. Yeah, they’ll enjoy it. Yeah. And on the website there’s pictures of the boats, the planes. Yeah. The runways the weed the, all the pictures are there, family pictures, whatever. Well, you had a, uh, a magical, quite a life, the kinda life that they, people make movies about and everybody watches them and says, oh, wow, that’s really cool. But they didn’t have to do it. They didn’t have to pay that price. No. Most of the people think, the funny thing is a lot of people think I’m, I’m, I’m lying or I’m exaggerating. Yeah. I’m 68 years old. Yeah. There’s no reason for me to lie. And you know, the DEA is, I’m telling that. I’m just telling it the way it [00:45:00] happened. I have no reason to tell Phish stories at this point in my life. No, I believe it. No, no, no. It’s all true. All I’ve been, I’ve been around to a little bit. I, I could just talk to you and know that you’re telling the truth here I am. So, it’s, it’s a great story and Ken, I really appreciate you coming on the show. Thank you for having me. It’s been a very much a, it is been a real pleasure. It’s, it’s nice to talk to someone that knows both sides of the coin. Okay. Take care. Uh, thanks again. Thank you, sir. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.

Send us a textOn this episode: The crew kicks things off with fashion jokes that quickly turn into the birth of a new nickname, Eggplant Papi - setting the tone for a wide-ranging, unapologetic conversation.From generational debates and “expert” culture to Starlink officially landing in the Cayman Islands, e-bike and scooter legislation, rising food costs, public transport frustrations, and the realities of living and working in Cayman. The episode also features a deep and insightful conversation with Alyssa Gilbert, Caymanian creative and founder of WIK Magazine, as she shares her journey through fashion, media, creativity, mental health, and why so many Cayman creatives feel the need to leave in order to grow, with hopes of one day returning home.The discussion closes with powerful commentary on financial literacy, money mules, online scams, social systems, and why common sense isn't always common.Support the show

I share a deeply personal story of how I am overcoming the struggles of life. It is part of my Philosophy of Life, or maybe a theological perspective. I share my struggles with the death dying and beyond and hinted at how God has brought me full circle with the passing of my parents. It is not an interview but a monologue where I present a reflection on my life and looking ahead to the future.I hope this may inspire someone as you live you life and follow your path.Much more is left untold and I have skipped a lot of details but in the passing of time more will be revealed. Renaldo McKenzie is the Author of Neoliberalism, Globalization, Income Inequality Poverty and Resistance and is ordained to the Ministry of Sacrament and Word by the United Church in Jamaica and Cayman Islands and is currently a member at Old First UCC Church of Christ. Renaldo is a Professor at Jamaica Theological Seminary and a Doctoral Candidate at Georgetown University.Renaldo is the President of The Neoliberal Corporation, https://theneoliberal.comRenaldo's first book is available at https://store.theneoliberal.com and also at amazon and Barnes and Noble..Support Renaldo's podcast at https://donate.stripe.com/7sYcN48uybAA2OEb9V93y06

When you run a religion for a thousand years, you are bound to have vast wealth, an insane amount of influence globally, and a massive intelligence-gathering network. The Vatican is an unusual place where traditional laws do not apply and the banking is more secret than the Cayman Islands.There are a few groups that are within the orbit of the Vatican that do some of the dirty work that the church can't put its name on. These groups are never mentioned in the mainstream media for obvious reasons, but we know them as the Knights of Malta, Opus Dei, and Le Cercle, and their cover story is that they are doing God's Work.—Watch the video version on one of the Macroaggressions Channels:Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/Macroaggressions YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MacroaggressionsPodcast—MACRO & Charlie Robinson LinksHypocrazy Audiobook: https://amzn.to/4aogwmsThe Octopus of Global Control Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3xu0rMmWebsite: www.Macroaggressions.io Merch Store: https://macroaggressions.dashery.com/ Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/macroaggressionspodcast—Activist Post FamilyActivist Post: www.ActivistPost.com Natural Blaze: www.NaturalBlaze.com —Support Our SponsorsC60 Power: https://go.shopc60.com/PBGRT/KMKS9/ | Promo Code: MACROChemical Free Body: https://chemicalfreebody.com/macro/ | Promo Code: MACROWise Wolf Gold & Silver: https://macroaggressions.gold/ | (800) 426-1836LegalShield: www.DontGetPushedAround.com EMP Shield: www.EMPShield.com | Promo Code: MACROChristian Yordanov's Health Program: www.LiveLongerFormula.com/macro Above Phone: https://abovephone.com/macro/Van Man: https://vanman.shop/?ref=MACRO | Promo Code: MACROThe Dollar Vigilante: https://dollarvigilante.spiffy.co/a/O3wCWenlXN/4471 Nesa's Hemp: www.NesasHemp.com | Promo Code: MACROAugason Farms: https://augasonfarms.com/MACRO —

The immigration reform bill is passed in parliament with a slew ofamendments; Police tracked down a wanted man; and Cayman Airways marks 40 years of flights between the Cayman Islands and Tampa.

In this month's Maples Group Cayman Islands Regulatory 15/15 episode, Chris Capewell, Michelle Bailey, Mariana Alves and Jo Ottaway discuss the Common Reporting Standard ("CRS") 2.0, 2026 Cayman Islands Regulatory Calendar and Year End Reminders.To read the 2026 Cayman Islands Regulatory Calendar, visit https://maples.com/regulatory-round-up/2026-cayman-islands-regulatory-calendar.SPEAKERS:Chris Capewell, Partner | +1 345 814 5666 | chris.capewell@maples.com | View bioMichelle Bailey, Senior Vice President - Head of Cayman AEOIRegulatory & Compliance | +1 345 814 5711 | michelle.bailey@maples.com | View bioMariana Alves, Associate | +1 345 814 5639 | mariana.alves@maples.com | View bioJo Ottaway, Associate | +1 345 814 5511 | jo.ottaway@maples.com | View bioRESOURCES:Presentation slides: https://issuu.com/maplesgroup/docs/maples_group_15-15_podcast_-_december_2025?fr=sYjNhYzg5ODU1MzI Visit our Regulatory Round-Up Blog for the latest developments and insights in the regulatory landscapeRELATED SERVICES:Maples Group Regulatory and Financial Services AdvisoryWith a depth of experience across all regulated sectors, the Maples Group Regulatory and Financial Services team is positioned to address client needs and sensitivities. We have the largest dedicated Cayman Islands Regulatory and Financial Services team in the offshore market.Follow Us: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/maplesgroup/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maplesgroup/Twitter: https://twitter.com/maplesgroupFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/maplesgroup/Website: https://maples.com/podcasts/15-15 Blog:

Send us a textOn this episode: The team welcomes President and Vice President of the Rotaract Club of Grand Cayman for a look into youth leadership, service, and community impact. The episode then shifts into a deep, candid discussion with Deputy Leader of the Opposition Kenneth Bryan, on some of the most pressing issues facing the Cayman Islands today: immigration reform, economic modeling, social integration, population strategy, cost of living, and the future of Cayman's tourism and aviation sectors. MP Bryan discusses the gaps in the current immigration policy rollout, why the community feels confused and divided, and why leaders must articulate a clearer long-term vision of what Cayman should look like over the next decade. This episode blends community service, politics, economics, culture, and personal development into one of the podcast's most comprehensive and insightful conversations yet.Sponsored by CINICO Motor InsuranceThis episode blends community service, politics, economics, culture, and personal development into one of the podcast's most comprehensive and insightful conversations yet.Sponsored by CINICO Motor InsuranceWhen you choose CINICO Motor Insurance, you're not just getting coverage—you're joining a community that cares about protecting you and your loved ones.Why CINICO?Personalized coverage tailored to your needs24/7 claims service—always just a call away. Peace of mind with CARE Roadside Assistance, from flat tires to towing, anytime, anywhere in Cayman. Ready for a quote? Visit www.cinico.ky.CINICO. Keeping Cayman Covered.Support the show

MPs are set to debate the Submarine Cable Telecommunications Resilience Bill this week; lawmakers approved a massive budget increase for Sports Services in the upcoming two financial years; and "A History of Turtlers and Schooners of the Cayman Islands” is available now.

Seven of Cayman's finest natural bodybuilders made their mark on the world stage this past weekend, delivering powerhouse performances at one of the sport's most prestigious international events.Seven young athletes from Cayman Brac will represent the Cayman Islands this weekend as part of the Under-16 netball development team heading to Jamaica for a three-day tour.

Valereum PLC (AQSE:VLRM) CEO Gary Cottle talked with Proactive's Stephen Gunnion about the company's newly announced $200 million royalty and streaming financing agreement with Quorum Global Photonics (QGP), a fund based in the Cayman Islands specialising in tokenisation and resource-based assets. Cottle explained that the deal involves a token swap rather than traditional debt financing, providing Valereum with a quarterly annuity stream of over $2 million. “We actually receive the coupon, not pay the coupon,” he said, describing the instrument as a perpetual call certificate that delivers consistent capital inflow to help grow and operate the business. He noted the partnership is expected to be long-term and strategic, with QGP potentially taking up to 49.9% ownership in Valereum within a year. This, he said, would lead to shareholder dilution but is part of a broader vision to bring in strategic investors aligned with Valereum's focus on tokenisation and AI in the streaming space. Cottle also revealed that Valereum is preparing for a US exchange listing, targeting Nasdaq or NYSE, with a timeline of six to twelve months, depending on revenue developments and acquisitions. Several potential acquisitions are in progress to build out the revenue base required for that listing. Visit Proactive's YouTube channel for more videos, and don't forget to give the video a like, subscribe to the channel and enable notifications for future content. #Valereum #GaryCottle #QGPDeal #RoyaltyStreaming #Tokenisation #BlockchainFinance #AIinFinance #StrategicInvestment #NasdaqListing #EquityFinance #ProactiveInvestors #DigitalAssets #USListing #CryptoFinance

Ron doesn't understand the attraction to Florida.... Guest: Rosa Harris is Director of Tourism for the Cayman Islands  

Foreign ownership of U.S. farmland is a political lightning rod, but economist Danny Munch from the American Farm Bureau Federation walks through what the data actually says. Using USDA's AFIDA reports, he explains that only about 3.61% of privately held U.S. ag land (roughly 48–49 million acres) is foreign-owned, and more than 60% of that is held by allies like Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, the U.K., and Germany. Much of the recent growth is tied to renewable energy leases and timber, not foreign governments trying to control food production. China, despite endless headlines, is associated with roughly 277,000 acres—about the size of one average Ohio county—while individual billionaires like Bill Gates own similar amounts and are arguably more influential through narrative and advocacy than acreage. The episode also digs into data gaps, shell companies, national security reviews, and why Farm Bureau members are just as worried about preserving private property rights as they are about foreign flags on land titles. Episode takeaways: Foreign investors own about 3.61% of privately held U.S. agricultural land (≈48.8 million acres), and over 99% of all U.S. land is either U.S.-owned or held by countries generally considered allies. Canada alone holds about 15.35 million acres—more than a third of all foreign-owned U.S. ag land—followed by European players like the Netherlands and Italy, with large positions in timber and renewable energy, not row-crop land grabs. The big run-up in foreign-owned acres since 2010 is driven heavily by wind and solar leases plus timber, not foreign control of food production; roughly half of foreign-held ag land is forest land. China's ownership, after USDA data corrections, is roughly 277,000 acres, about half of which came through acquisition of a U.S. pork company and another big chunk from a now-blocked Texas renewable project—politically noisy, but tiny in acreage and not a serious land-based strategy for national security. AFIDA data is the best tool we have, but it's messy: weak enforcement, paper forms, limited staffing, and only tracing ownership three tiers deep mean shell structures and Cayman Islands registrations can obscure the “warm bodies” behind some acres. Farm Bureau members are increasingly uneasy about private mega-owners and narrative power (think billionaires and foundations) and about bad laws passed for headlines, not solutions—especially when those laws threaten core private property rights and ignore existing tools like CFIUS, which already reviews and can block risky foreign transactions. American Farm Bureau Federation https://www.fb.org/   Foreign Investment in U.S. Ag Land – The Latest Numbers https://www.fb.org/market-intel/foreign-investment-in-u-s-ag-land-the-latest-numbers   How it Works — Understanding the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States https://www.fb.org/market-intel/how-it-works-understanding-the-committee-on-foreign-investment-in-the-united-states   Foreign Footprints: Trends in U.S. Agricultural Land Ownership https://www.fb.org/market-intel/foreign-footprints-trends-in-u-s-agricultural-land-ownership   National Land Realty - Buy, Sell, Lease, or Auction Land https://www.nationalland.com 

Send us a textWeek 9 of the 2025 NFL season delivered major results and shake-ups at the trade deadline that could define the back half of the year.Here's what we're breaking down:⭐ Impactful trades made before the deadline and how teams look now

Actress and comedian Rachel Sennott feels included about being Conan O'Brien's friend. Rachel sits down with Conan to discuss her new series I Love LA, depictions of influencer culture, experiencing a Saturn Return, and being arrested in the Cayman Islands. Plus, Sona takes up a new babysitting job. For Conan videos, tour dates and more visit TeamCoco.com.Got a question for Conan? Call our voicemail: (669) 587-2847. Get access to all the podcasts you love, music channels and radio shows with the SiriusXM App! Get 3 months free using this show link: https://siriusxm.com/conan. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What's the difference between robbing a bank and robbing a Mafia bank? Sara and Joshua are about to find out... Joshua is a world class hacker and his partner, the alluring Sarah, is a master safe cracker who make their living pillaging other criminal's bank accounts. An attempted assassination puts them on the run. In return for help from a middle Eastern spy chief, they're tasked with disrupting an arms deal being negotiated by a crooked banker in the Cayman Islands. This same banker launders money for his main client, a New Jersey mafia boss. A huge pot of money proves too big a temptation and, in this international, absorbing crime thriller, Sarah and Joshua must outsmart a growing list of bad guys. “The edge-of-your-seat suspense and the plot twists had me flipping through page after page.” – Keith Mbuya for Readers' Favorite Don Spillane was born, raised and educated in Bournemouth, England. In the 1960s and 1970s he served as a young detective with the Metropolitan Police in London, commonly known as Scotland Yard. He worked the East End of London at the time of the notorious gangsters, the Kray Twins, and assisted in the investigation of murders, armed robbery and other criminal activity. Don was accompanied by the Yard's famed Flying Squad during his final arrest, that of a contract killer. Don now lives in Huntington Beach, California with his wife, Carol and their pet beagle, Lucy. Inspired by his life experiences, he now writes thrilling novels about the worlds of intelligence operatives and crime. Order "Hustling the Mob" from Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Hustling-Mob-Mafia-Malware-Murder/dp/0990328376/ Find out more on https://donspillane.com/

Parliament today focused on the 2026 and 2027 Cayman Islands budget, laying out how billions will be spent to shape the country's future. The Cayman Islands Blook Bank pauses donations after an overwhelming public response to the call to help people in Jamaica. and Cayman turns up in a big way at this year's Youth Parliament Day in London.

Danny Glaze IS BACK! The mighty Karl Collins (DC Danny Glaze) makes his debut on The Bill Podcast alongside his good friend and returning legend Chris Simmons (DC Mickey Webb) In Part 1 of a two-part special, Chris shares his thoughts on Sally Rogers' 2022 play "The Still Room", and discusses his work as a director on his movie "The Broken Arrow", in which Karl appears alongside other Sun Hill luminaries. Karl then discusses how his career began before both of these CID heroes begin to look back on their time at Merton.  With Patrick Stratford at the helm, you know you are in for a cracker so sit back, relax and enjoy. The Bill Podcast is brought to you in proud association with georgefairbrother.com shop.saturdaymorningpress.co.uk vanguardcomics.co.uk gibconsultancy.co.uk mcr-seo.com and introducing donspillane.com Don Spillane was born, raised, and educated on the South Coast of England. In the 1960s and 1970s he served as a young detective with London's Scotland Yard working Jack the Ripper's old territory, Whitechapel and Bethnal Green. While assisting in the investigation of murders, armed robberies, and other criminal activity, he benefitted from the experience of senior colleagues who arrested culprits for such crimes as the Great Train and Bank of America robberies. His backup was the Yard's famed “Flying Squad” when he zeroed in for the final arrest of his career, a contract killer. Recently, he's found a new and rewarding life writing and creating thrilling novels based on his first-hand encounters with the sordid and unsavory denizens of the underworld. The opening of the podcast features a special promo, narrated by The Bill legend Natalie Roles, for Don's debut novel "Hustling The Mob" - What's the difference between robbing a bank and robbing a Mafia bank? Sarah and Joshua are about to find out. Joshua is a world class hacker and his partner, the alluring Sarah, is a master safe cracker who make their living pillaging other criminal's bank accounts. An attempted assassination puts them on the run. In return for help from a middle Eastern spy chief, they're tasked with disrupting an arms deal being negotiated by a crooked banker in the Cayman Islands. This same banker launders money for his main client, a New Jersey mafia boss. A huge pot of money proves too big a temptation and, in this international absorbing crime thriller, Sarah and Joshua must outsmart a growing list of bad guys. "Hustling the Mob" is available on Kindle and paperback from Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hustling-Mob-Mafia-Malware-Murder/dp/0990328376/

Send us a textAmanda stops by to talk about Hoodoo, Voodoo, her upcoming trip to Egypt and more. *****From an early age, Amanda has been aware and in tuned with her Psychic gifts and with the spirit world. As she grew up listening to sound of her own drumbeat. She borrowed her first book on Wicca when she was 13 and first tarot deck at 16. Then, at the age of 18 she was free to truly study her Spirit Lead path of Witchcraft, Psychic Development, and Energy Healing at a local shop that was located in Indianapolis, IN.In 2006, Spirit lead Amanda to move down to Birmingham, AL. While living there the Spirits lead her to connect with her Southern roots and began doing professional readings at a local shop. This began her journey of being not just a high demand Psychic/Medium/Tarot Reader, but she started teaching classes on the Tarot and becoming a leader in the community. As well learning and practicing Hoodoo/Root working. In the Fall of 2009 Amanda came back home Indianapolis area. While helping her grandparents in their transitions of live she continued her journey. She started to see her gifts of communing with the dead was also an aide to help those in end of live transitions. This began her services of being a Death Doula and finally got certified in 2020. While, her path grew when her love and respect of Haitian Vodou called her to Kanzo as a Mambo Sou Pwen.Today she is a Student of the Mystery School in The Temple of Witchcraft and is focused on helping others all around the world, with clients ranging from the United States, Canada, the U.K. , China, Australia, Japan, Puerto Rico, India, Mexico, Cayman Islands, and Denmark to name a few. People come to her for spiritual guidance, love, relationship, career, and business guidance.Shop 3 Crows Conjure here : https://3crowsconjure.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopefsXSl1t8ThAKXRgfJfA2MnbeDv0hijyKej93lVqCvf7PP6eD******If you would like to contact the show about being a guest, please email us at Dauna@bettertopodcast.comUpcoming guests can be found: https://dmneedom.com/upcoming-guest Follow us on Social MediaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/author_d.m.needom/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bettertopodcastwithdmneedomIntro and Outro music compliments of Fast Suzi©2025 Better To...Podcast with D. M. NeedomSupport the show

Cayman Islands leaders join forces to deliver immediate hurricane relief and pledge millions in additional aid to western Jamaica. Today, Premier Andre Ebanks and Opposition Leader Joey Hew traveled to Kingston with supplies and messages of solidarity, echoing Jamaica's past support for Cayman during Hurricane Ivan.Cayman Airways extends waivers for passengers affected by Hurricane Melissa, making it easier for travelers to change their flights without paying extra fees or fare differences. Residents of Cayman Brac are being invited to help shape the future of Hemmington Forest, which may become the Sister Islands' first designated national park.

All eyes remain on Tropical Storm Melissa -- we'll have the latest track and what local agencies are doing to prepare. The Mosquito Research and Control Unit activates its severe weather plan. And outgoing Chief Medical Officer Dr. Nick Gent offers a candid parting message on Cayman's healthcare system and the road ahead. Plus -- the Premier unveils a major environmental step for the Cayman Islands.

Ready to explore the best Disney Cruise Line excursions — from Europe to the Caribbean — through the eyes of a teen cruiser?

Let's be honest. Your relationship with money is probably one of the trickiest, most emotionally charged relationships you'll ever have. And I'm not talking about spreadsheets or financial planning here. I'm talking about how you feel about money, how you treat it, and how it's quietly shaping your decisions without you even realising it's happening. This week, we're going back to something I haven't talked about in a while: money mindset. Because here's the thing. Most of us didn't choose the money stories we're carrying around. We inherited them from our parents, our teachers, the culture we grew up in, and that whole toxic online abundance messaging that makes you feel like an idiot if you haven't manifested a private account in the Cayman Islands. (Thanks for nothing, The Secret.) What You'll Learn In This Episode: The money stories you inherited and how they're dictating your behaviour right now. Things like "money doesn't grow on trees" or "people like us don't have that kind of money" get wired into your nervous system, and suddenly abundance doesn't feel safe anymore. Why money isn't moral. Money isn't a reflection of how worthy or spiritual you are. It's not a moral compass. Money is neutral. It's energy. And when we treat it like it's moral, we start hustling for work we don't want, undercharging because we want to seem like good people, and over-delivering to prove our value. The two ways we try to control money and why neither one represents freedom. You're either constantly chasing money and making it the focus of everything, or you're pretending you're above caring about it at all. Both are about control. Both are ego. What it means to rewild your relationship with money. Coming back to a natural rhythm where money flows through you, supports you, and nourishes what matters, but isn't the all-or-nothing driving force of your business. Five things you can start doing today to shift your relationship with money: Name the inherited stories (whose voice are you hearing?) Track the flow (where does money move easily and where does it get stuck?) Look at your pricing (are you charging for acceptance or honouring your energy?) Practice receiving (compliments, help, opportunities, all of it) Redefine what wealth means for you The distinction between wealth and worth. Wealth is external and movable. Worth is internal and doesn't change. You cannot let money carry your self-esteem. You cannot let money have that much power. The Big Truth: Money doesn't respond to guilt or scarcity. But it does respond to clear, aligned action. It responds to purpose. It responds to flow. When you spend money in alignment, it circulates. When you invest in what you believe in, it multiplies. When you hoard it out of fear, it stagnates. And here's the weird thing: when you stop with the proving and the grasping and the chasing, that's when money starts to flow. That's when money becomes the side effect of intentional, aligned work. That's what I want for you. This Week's Journaling Prompts: Where in my business am I still asking money for permission? (Permission to rest, to create something different, to feel successful, to feel safe?) What part of me still believes that wealth and worth are the same thing? And what could happen if I stopped believing that? If money and I were in an honest relationship, what conversation are we long overdue to have? (What needs forgiving? What needs claiming? What needs renegotiating?) Don't rush these. Sit with them. See what comes up. Links & Resources: Download the Fix Your Money Mindset Workbook - One of my oldest lead magnets and still works a treat because it's a goodie. It'll help you reframe your way of thinking about money: https://www.gillmoakes.com/fix-your-money-mindset Email me your reflections: info@gillmoakes.com (I genuinely love hearing from you when something lands)

In local sports,- Softball is growing in the Cayman Islands, we'll check in with the President of the Cayman Softball Association- Fitness for a good cause- And Cayman competes on the global gymnastics stage.

Become a Client: https://nomadcapitalist.com/apply/ Get our free Weekly Rundown newsletter and be the first to hear about breaking news and offers: https://nomadcapitalist.com/email Join us for the next Nomad Capitalist Live event: https://nomadcapitalist.com/live/ Javier joins us from Bogotá, Colombia, to discuss global corporate structuring. In this latest episode, he shares why he's not a fan of Caribbean companies like those in the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands for operational businesses, and what other alternatives may serve entrepreneurs better in today's regulatory climate. Nomad Capitalist helps clients "go where you're treated best." We are the world's most sought-after firm for offshore tax planning, dual citizenship, international diversification, and asset protection. We use legal and ethical strategies and work exclusively with seven- and eight-figure entrepreneurs and investors. We create and execute holistic, multi-jurisdictional Plans that help clients keep more of their wealth, increase their personal freedom, and protect their families and wealth against threats in their home country. No other firm offers clients access to more potential options to relocate to, bank in, or become a citizen of. Because we do not focus only on one or a handful of countries, we can offer unbiased advice where others can't. Become Our Client: https://nomadcapitalist.com/apply/ Our Website: http://www.nomadcapitalist.com/ About Our Company: https://nomadcapitalist.com/about/ Buy Mr. Henderson's Book: https://nomadcapitalist.com/book/ Disclaimer: Neither Nomad Capitalist LTD nor its affiliates are licensed legal, financial, or tax advisors. All content published on YouTube and other platforms is intended solely for general informational and educational purposes and should not be construed as legal, tax, or financial advice. Nomad Capitalist does not offer or sell legal, financial, or tax advisory services.

This week on Good Things with Brent Lindeque, we're chatting to Nic Latouf, one of the founders of The Lekker Network... a global community bringing South Africans together from eKapa to the Cayman Islands. It all started with one simple idea: “South Africans are South Africa's most valuable export.” From entrepreneurs and executives to everyday legends doing extraordinary things, The Lekker Network is proving that when South Africans unite, magic happens... opportunities grow, stories shine and the spirit of Ubuntu goes global. Watch the full conversation to discover how two friends, Nic Latouf and Renier Lombard, are turning pride into purpose and helping South Africans make the world a little more lekker.

This episode features Viren Shetty, Vice Chairman of Narayana Health, discussing how his father founded a cardiac surgery hospital in India 25 years ago that revolutionized healthcare delivery by applying manufacturing efficiency principles to drastically reduce costs while maintaining quality. The conversation explores how Narayana Health scaled from one cardiac center to 19 multi-specialty hospitals across India and one in the Cayman Islands by implementing supply chain optimization, standardization of care, physician specialization, and high-volume operations—enabling them to perform cardiac surgeries at a fraction of Western costs. Shetty discusses the challenges and opportunities of operating in India's largely out-of-pocket healthcare market, the hospital's expansion into insurance and primary care to become a fully integrated provider, their measured approach to AI adoption, and why their high-volume, efficiency-driven model wouldn't directly translate to the US healthcare system despite offering valuable lessons in operational excellence and cost reduction. (0:00) Intro(1:20) Founding and Growth of Narayana Health(2:48) Cost Reduction Strategies in Indian Healthcare(6:04) Challenges and Cultural Shifts in Standardization(8:16) Scaling and Expansion Bottlenecks(14:10) Impact of COVID-19 on Narayana Health(19:15) Medical Tourism and the Cayman Islands(23:03) High Patient Volume in Indian Hospitals(24:29) Exploring Healthcare Ecosystems(25:25) Automating Healthcare Administration(26:39) Challenges in US Healthcare(28:18) Innovative Healthcare Models(30:28) AI in Medicine(33:22) Driving Efficiency in Hospitals(37:48) Opportunities in Indian Healthcare(40:34) Quickfire With your co-hosts: @jacobeffron - Partner at Redpoint, Former PM Flatiron Health @patrickachase - Partner at Redpoint, Former ML Engineer LinkedIn @ericabrescia - Former COO Github, Founder Bitnami (acq'd by VMWare) @jordan_segall - Partner at Redpoint

Become a Client: https://nomadcapitalist.com/apply/ Get our free Weekly Rundown newsletter and be the first to hear about breaking news and offers: https://nomadcapitalist.com/email Join us for the next Nomad Capitalist Live event: https://nomadcapitalist.com/live/ We've all heard that the Caribbean can be a great place to set up your business from a tax perspective. But on which island can you gain the best jurisdiction for you and your company?? In this video, Javier reveals his favourite Caribbean jurisdiction for international entrepreneurs and why he believes the Cayman Islands stands out for business incorporation, asset protection, and long-term tax neutrality. Nomad Capitalist helps clients "go where you're treated best." We are the world's most sought-after firm for offshore tax planning, dual citizenship, international diversification, and asset protection. We use legal and ethical strategies and work exclusively with seven- and eight-figure entrepreneurs and investors. We create and execute holistic, multi-jurisdictional Plans that help clients keep more of their wealth, increase their personal freedom, and protect their families and wealth against threats in their home country. No other firm offers clients access to more potential options to relocate to, bank in, or become a citizen of. Because we do not focus only on one or a handful of countries, we can offer unbiased advice where others can't. Become Our Client: https://nomadcapitalist.com/apply/ Our Website: http://www.nomadcapitalist.com/ About Our Company: https://nomadcapitalist.com/about/ Buy Mr. Henderson's Book: https://nomadcapitalist.com/book/ Disclaimer: Neither Nomad Capitalist LTD nor its affiliates are licensed legal, financial, or tax advisors. All content published on YouTube and other platforms is intended solely for general informational and educational purposes and should not be construed as legal, tax, or financial advice. Nomad Capitalist does not offer or sell legal, financial, or tax advisory services.

The Bahamas launches groundbreaking stem cell research center while Nevis tourism surges 44% above last year.  These among the headlines highlighted. Here are other stories making Caribbean headlines. Cayman Islands preparing for potential fee increases in October budget as government spending outpaces revenue growthDominican Republic economy under pressure from rising US dollar and crude oil prices affecting fuel importsSt. Lucia increasing police presence and security monitoring in Castries to ensure safety during upcoming cruise seasonJamaica's Falmouth Artisan Village drawing positive feedback from locals and visitorsPuerto Rico's San Juan Museum receives grant to improve preservation of artistic heritage and cultural Send news releases to news@pulseofthecaribbean.com. For Pulse of the Caribbean marketplace feature opportunities email biz@pulseofthecaribbean.com.Listen and subscribe to the  Pulse of the Caribbean Caribbean News Round Up for news you need to know. 

Jeffrey Epstein's offshore financial dealings were exposed in part through the Paradise Papers, which revealed his role as chairman of Liquid Funding Ltd., a Bermuda-registered company linked to Bear Stearns. The law firm Appleby, which administered Liquid Funding, operated across multiple tax havens, including the British Virgin Islands, and this connection often creates confusion about Epstein's financial footprint there. While Appleby's BVI presence meant that its clients could easily incorporate or shift assets through that jurisdiction, available records show Epstein's personal offshore entities were tied more directly to Bermuda and the U.S. Virgin Islands, where he established companies like Financial Trust Company and Southern Trust.The BVI does not appear as a core base of Epstein's corporate structures in the released data, but it factored into the broader offshore web through Appleby's extensive operations in the territory. In other words, Epstein's name emerges in the same investigative files that highlight BVI corruption and secrecy issues, but his direct offshore holdings were anchored elsewhere. The overlap underscores how tightly interwoven these secrecy jurisdictions are, with Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, and the British Virgin Islands all serving as nodes in the same shadow financial system that Epstein exploited.To contact me: bobbycapucci@protonmail.comSource:https://www.icij.org/investigations/paradise-papers/british-virgin-islands-corruption-scandal-threatens-its-dependable-tax-haven-reputation/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Owning precious metals offshore is one of the cornerstones of any fully formed Plan-B. With governments constantly inflating currencies and manipulating markets, owning history's most reliable form of currency is a no-brainer. But keeping metals buried in your backyard or even in a local bank vault carries enormous risks. This is where the necessity of offshore vaults comes into play.  In today's episode, I am joined by Jeremey Varlow, who oversees Business Development & SWP Capital for Strategic Wealth Preservation (SWP) in the Cayman Islands. Jeremy shares the story of how he found himself moving to the Cayman Islands from Vancouver, what life is like in Cayman for residents and investors alike, and what makes Cayman such an ideal offshore jurisdiction.  IN TODAY'S EPISODE Tune in as Jeremy shares the unique set of circumstances that led him from Canada to the Cayman Islands Listen in to hear about Jeremy's pathway to achieving Permanent Residency in Cayman, and what the eventual path to citizenship looks like Learn what makes Cayman the premier offshore jurisdiction in the Caribbean Find out how you can use offshore gold holdings for your financing by taking loans backed by your own gold. Amazing! OFFSHORE GOLD AND SILVER If you're in the process of crafting your Plan-B, you need to get serious about offshore precious metals storage. Head to expatmoney.com/gold to learn more about how you can work directly with our trusted partners in the Caribbean. STAY IN TOUCH! Stay informed about the latest news affecting the expat world and receive a steady stream of my thoughts and opinions on geopolitics by subscribing to our newsletter. You will receive the EMS Pulse newsletter and the weekly Expat Sunday Times; sign up now and receive my FREE special report, “Plan B Residencies and Instant Citizenships.” THE EXPAT MONEY ONLINE SUMMIT 2025: THE FUTURE IS LATIN AMERICA Join the Expat Money Online Summit 2025 for three high-impact days focused on why Latin America is becoming the ultimate destination for expats, investors, and freedom-seekers in 2025 and beyond. You'll gain exclusive insights from dozens of seasoned offshore experts as they reveal the best strategies to legally slash your tax bill, build real wealth overseas, and unlock second residencies and passports—all centred around Latin America's rising power on the global stage. Reserve your free ticket today. RELATED EPISODES

Cayman Netball loses to St. Vincent and the Grenadines in first match. Final score: Cayman Islands 43, St. Vincent & the Grenadines 55.Flag football heads into its final week before the playoffs and the pressure is buildingFive-a-Side Football League Kicks Off for Over-50s

Ready to level up your hotel game? This week, Joanna and Mary Ellen are joined by Jenn from @Travel.More.Momma to dive deep into the IHG Rewards program — including the underrated perks that make it worth a spot in your wallet. From the fourth-night-free benefit to creative uses for free night certificates, we cover why even the no-annual-fee IHG card can unlock serious value.Jenn also shares her luxe kids-free getaway to the Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa in Grand Cayman, complete with quirky Kimpton touches, poolside flags for cocktail service, and a little-known “secret password” for extra perks. Plus, we compare the Kimpton with another nearby budget-friendly alternative.If you've been sleeping on IHG, this episode will change how you think about free nights, point redemptions, and where to plan your next island escape.Facebook GroupWonderland On Points BlogFind Us On InstagramMary Ellen | JoAffiliate LinksCapitalOne Venture and Venture X LinksChase Sapphire Preferred LinksFlyKitt- the BEST Jet Lag Solution!30% off the CardPointers subscription!Tripiamo Driving TutorialsOur Favorite Travel NecessitiesWe receive a small commission when you choose to use any of our links to purchase your products or apply for your cards! We SO appreciate when you choose to give back to the podcast in this way!

In dieser Bonus-Ausgabe der «Dritten Halbzeit» begrüssen wir einen alten Kollegen bei uns im Podcast-Studio: Fabian Sangines war als Sportjournalist bei Tamedia tätig, ehe er im Dezember 2023 ein Angebot erhielt, das er nicht ablehnen konnte: Fussballtrainer auf den Cayman Islands. Anderthalb Jahre war Sangines dort in mehreren Funktionen tätig, ehe er vor wenigen Monaten in die Schweiz zurückgekehrt ist – als Sportlicher Leiter der Frauen des FC Basel.Im Podcast spricht der 36-Jährige über seine Zeit in der Karibik und warum er das Angebot damals einfach annehmen musste. Er spricht über ein Telefonat mit David Degen, über das Spiel der FCB-Frauen an diesem Wochenende im St.-Jakob-Park – und darüber, was im Schweizer Fussball der Frauen geschehen muss, um den Hype der Womens Euro in die Liga hinüber zu retten.Die Themen:00:00 Intro03:57 Das Leben auf den Cayman Islands23:21 Der Anruf von David Degen35:47 Was bringt der EM-Hype der Liga? In der Dritten Halbzeit wird über den Schweizer Fussball diskutiert.

Cayman's athletes have wrapped up competition at the Junior Pan American Games in Paraguay, closing out a historic campaign across track, court, pool, and open water.For the first time ever, the Cayman Islands will be represented at the Pan American Youth, Cadets, U14, and U12 Karate Championships set for August 25th to 31st in Asunción, Paraguay.The Cayman Islands Netball team is gearing up for a major showdown as they head to Grenada for the 5th ECCB International Netball Series this weekend. Cayman's match officials are making their mark on the international stage. The Cayman Motoring Federation is shifting gears with a bold three-year plan.

Season 18, Episode 25: Top End cricket is happening with Australia and South Africa in Darwin, but our attention is on Leicestershire league cricket where the umpiring controversy of the millennium has blown up. In other news, the idea of separate divisions in Test cricket is gathering steam, as is the possible sale of the Big Bash, while a disastrous 10-over league crashes out in the Cayman Islands, and some weird stuff goes on in county cricket. Bharat Sundaresan joins Geoff Lemon. Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/thefinalword⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - fighting for the rights of workers since 1919: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mauriceblackburn.com.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Tickets for our Wormsley match, August 18: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠uk.emma-live.com/WormsleyFinal2025⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get your big NordVPN discount: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nordvpn.com/tfw⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We're giving away a brand new Virat Kohli Genius King cricket bat, gloves, and case, PLUS a YEAR'S supply of Noobru Pro - worth over £1600! For entry, T&Cs, and 15% off any purchase go to: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠noobru.com/finalword⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get 10% off Glenn Maxwell's sunnies: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠t20vision.com/FINALWORD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find previous episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠finalwordcricket.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Title track by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Urthboy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

RUNDOWN   Piano lessons, online gambling in the Cayman Islands, and Louis Armstrong trivia. We've got it all. Mitch and Hotshot dissects Ichiro's Hall of Fame speech, particularly his omission of managers like Lou Piniella. Mitch and Hotshot Scott unpack the Mariners' blockbuster moves—bringing back Eugenio Suarez and adding Josh Naylor at the trade deadline—instantly transforming a middling offense into one of the most dangerous in baseball. They contrast the current optimism with the baffling decision to trade Suarez last year for pennies, which may have cost the team a playoff spot. With Bryce Miller returning to form after injury and the offense now averaging nearly five runs per game, the duo argues that anything less than a playoff berth would be a major disappointment for the 2025 Mariners. David Samson join Mitch and reflects on his relationship with Ichiro Suzuki after being name-checked in Ichiro's Hall of Fame speech — including a humorous jab at the Miami Marlins. Samson details their deep personal friendship, Ichiro's elite preparation and humility, and why he believes Ichiro still deserves a roster spot even today. The conversation pivots to MLB trade deadline winners and losers, with Seattle emerging as a serious AL contender, and whether Cal Raleigh's heroic season could translate into an MVP — if Judge stumbles. Samson also criticizes the anonymous voter who snubbed Ichiro from a unanimous Hall induction, calling it “cowardice. Joe Doyle and Brady Farkas (Mariners No-Table) break down Seattle's pivotal week: winning three of four against Texas, the return of Eugenio Suarez, and a stretch that has them closing in on the AL West lead. The trio analyzes the revamped lineup, including Julio's hot August and Randy Arozarena in the leadoff spot, while also addressing Cal Raleigh's slump and bullpen concerns. They assess Bryce Miller's return timeline, why the team passed on Jhoan Duran, and whether George Kirby and Logan Gilbert can anchor the final playoff push. Out-on-a-limb predictions and plenty of Mariner optimism round out the episode. Brady Henderson joins Mitch Unfiltered to break down the top three storylines from Seahawks training camp: the major quarterback transition from Geno Smith to Sam Darnold, a loaded and returning defensive core with a few key injury concerns, and a possible shift in the running back hierarchy as Zach Charbonnet gains favor. Henderson also highlights emerging rookie wide receiver Tory Horton as more than just a training camp darling, weighs in on trade rumors involving Micah Parsons and Terry McLaurin, and offers key insight into position group battles, injury timelines, and contract status updates.   GUESTS   David Samson | Former Miami Marlins President, Host of Nothing Personal podcast Brady Farkas | Host, Refuse to Lose Podcast (Mariners on SI) Joe Doyle | MLB Draft & Mariners Analyst, Over Slot Substack Brady Henderson | Seahawks Insider, ESPN.com   TABLE OF CONTENTS   0:00 | Mariners Fans Miss the Plot, Cayman Island Trivia, and Ichiro's Quiet Snub 26:08 | Mariners All-In: Gino's Redemption, Bryce Miller's Return, and a Loaded Lineup Sparks Playoff Hopes 41:00 | GUEST: David Samson on Ichiro's Hall of Fame Roast, Seattle's MVP Catcher, and MLB Deadline Fallout. 1:09:43 | GUEST: Mariners No-Table; Mariners Hit Their Stride, Gino Returns, and Julio Ignites August Surge 1:41:00 | GUEST: Brady Henderson; Seahawks Camp Buzz: QB Shakeup, Defensive Depth, and a New WR Star? 1:56:03 | Other Stuff Segment: John Schneider contract extension, Seahawks GM performance over the last 8 years, Seahawks first-round draft picks review, Russell Wilson trade, Jamal Adams trade failure, philosophical questions about GM evaluation, Shannon Sharpe ESPN departure after legal settlement, Pete Carroll's return and fan reaction, Yankees fans caught in sexual act at stadium, Marcus Morris bad check scam at Vegas casinos, Marcus Morris jail food complaint, Eric Schmidt buys Spelling Manor for $110 million, history of Aaron and Tori Spelling, Gilbert Arenas illegal gambling ring in mansion, Poltergeist house recreated as Airbnb, Scottie Scheffler wins $18 million while not playing, PGA Tour bonus payouts. RIP Segment: Ryne Sandberg death from prostate cancer, Lonnie Anderson death and career highlights. Headlines: Indian child kills cobra with his mouth, tractor trailer crash spills 1,000 pounds of hot dogs, Google Street View captures naked man awarded $12,500

There is over $30 trillion sloshing around the world in offshore banking havens such as the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, and Switzerland. The world runs on dark money, and banking secrecy in a willing jurisdiction requires executives with specialized skills in tax avoidance, corporate structure, banking, and discretion. The biggest public relations disaster in offshore banking happened when the “Panama Papers” were released, and over 100,000 clients had their shareholder identification publicized to the world. The reporter covering this story ended up the victim of a car bomb just a year later. The Octopus of Global Control Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3xu0rMm Hypocrazy Audiobook: https://amzn.to/4aogwms Website: www.Macroaggressions.io Activist Post: www.activistpost.com Sponsors: Chemical Free Body: https://www.chemicalfreebody.com Promo Code: MACRO C60 Purple Power: https://c60purplepower.com/ Promo Code: MACRO Wise Wolf Gold & Silver: www.Macroaggressions.gold LegalShield: www.DontGetPushedAround.com EMP Shield: www.EMPShield.com Promo Code: MACRO ECI Development: https://info.ecidevelopment.com/-get-to-know-us/macro-aggressions Christian Yordanov's Health Program: www.livelongerformula.com/macro Privacy Academy: https://privacyacademy.com/step/privacy-action-plan-checkout-2/?ref=5620 Brain Supreme: www.BrainSupreme.co Promo Code: MACRO Above Phone: abovephone.com/macro Promo Code: MACRO Van Man: https://vanman.shop/?ref=MACRO Promo Code: MACRO My Patriot Supply: www.PrepareWithMacroaggressions.com Activist Post: www.ActivistPost.com Natural Blaze: www.NaturalBlaze.com Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/macroaggressionspodcast

In this episode of The Big Impression, we're joined by James Rothwell, managing director of brand marketing at Kinective Media. Rothwell walks us through what's changed since launch — from major brand partnerships and custom content integrations to a headline-making alliance with JetBlue. With over 110 million traveler profiles and 63 million MileagePlus members, Kinective is fast becoming one of the most compelling new players in commerce media. Episode TranscriptPlease note, this transcript  may contain minor inconsistencies compared to the episode audio. Damian Fowler (00:00):I'm Damian Fowler.Ilyse Liffreing (00:01):And I'm Ilyse Liffreing.Damian Fowler (00:02):And welcome to this edition of The Big Impression.Ilyse Liffreing (00:09):Today we're checking back in on one of the boldest moves in airline media, connected media by United Airlines as they've redefined what's possible in the world of Traveler Media Networks.Damian Fowler (00:22):Our guest is James Rothwell, managing director of brand marketing at Connective Media. James and his team are helping United leverage the power of 110 million traveler profiles, create new opportunities for brands across the entire customer journey.Ilyse Liffreing (00:38):We actually spoke with Connective on this podcast just last year and just a week after they launched. A lot has happened since then from major brand partnerships to rapid innovation in tech content and measurement, and today we're catching up on what's new. So let's get into it.Damian Fowler (00:57):So James, this time last year, United had just launched Connective Media. It was June, 2024 at CAN, and it was the first airline media network. Could you walk us through what's happened since then? How has the network grown? How has it attracted brand campaigns and how is it working?James Rothwell (01:20):Yeah, absolutely. And thank you Damian, for having me on. This is great to be here. We just celebrated our first birthday, which is a wonderful thing. We're engaging with so many different types of brands who are interested in reaching a premium traveler audience. We've seen some success in most of the key verticals that you would imagine, and then some surprising ones too. And obviously it's a slam dunk for a travel brand or a destination brand, but those non-endemic brands, the non-endemic advertisers who are trying to reach travelers, no matter where they are in their journey or even in between journeys, we're finding really interesting use cases, really interesting targeting options and ways for them to be able to reach them across all of our screens. And on,Damian Fowler (02:08):Let's get into it a little further. Can you give us some examples? And you mentioned non endemics as well, but maybe we could start with the endemics and then move on to the non endemics.James Rothwell (02:17):No, absolutely. I think travel as a category is a growth sector right now. I think ever since the pandemic, people have been looking to explore the world and get out of the, I mean, they were cooped up for quite a while there, and so travel's never been more popular. Like any industry, you've got to break through the noise and the options that you have out there. Right? World's a big place.(02:43):Luckily we fly to a lot of different places. We have over 330 different destinations. One really interesting case study that we've just completed was with the Cayman Islands tourist board, and they were looking to drive passengers travelers to the Cayman Islands, and they worked with us across all of our media, and we were able to do closed loop attribution based on the bookings that were then made to those destinations. So for us, measurement and measurability is incredibly strong in the travel sector and the travel space. We were able to see basically with Cayman Islands, that 9,000 bookings came from exposure to the ads that ran across email, across our club lounges and in our entertainment seat back screens on the planes. So we were able to drive awareness, intent, and then conversion, and we were able to track that and they saw a 13 times return on an ad spend against that campaign. We were incredibly happy with that. They were incredibly happy with that. We obviously made some travelers very happy to go enjoy the wonderful blues ocean around the Cayman Islands.Damian Fowler (03:58):Yeah, there's something nice when you see that on screen. You'reJames Rothwell (04:01):Like that, I'm going to go there. Yeah, that looks nice. That one sells itself. ItIlyse Liffreing (04:05):Does. So you mentioned non-endemic brands too. That's really interesting.James Rothwell (04:09):Yeah, I mean, we're all travelers, right? We all got on a plane to be here in Cannes. It doesn't define us, but certainly it helps to give context and potentially insights around who we are as individuals and what we like to spend our money on where we like to spend our time. And so that translates into a really interesting audience segment for different brands. So we've had a lot of luck and a lot of success with luxury brands who want to reach, especially front of plane individuals. B2B brands has been a real boon for us as well. Business decision makers, they're looking to find those individuals and we can find 'em on the planes in the clubs and through different digital channels as well. And so that's been a really interesting sector that we've been able to really capitalize on, and I think they've been able to see some significant growth on that. And we work with, for example, JIRA, which is an Atlassian product, and they did a full omnichannel activation with us and they saw some fantastic results there.Ilyse Liffreing (05:16):Very cool. Could you describe that a little bit more, how, I guess you worked almost in a custom way, it sounds like With JiraJames Rothwell (05:26):For that one was very custom. In fact, they had their own branding moment and wanted to use some of that branding and creativity and plug it into the inflight entertainment screen. So we created a custom channel for them with curated content behind it, which then obviously gave them a branding moment and an opportunity to drive their messaging with more engagement. So that was a very custom moment, but also an opportunity for us to do very targeted work to find the right audience members throughout the journey.Ilyse Liffreing (05:56):We spoke with Mike Petre on this podcast just about a year ago, A week after you guysJames Rothwell (06:02):Launched. That's right.Ilyse Liffreing (06:03):It seems that you're moving fast and obviously moving on to things like custom solutions and everything like that. What else is new in the past 12 monthsJames Rothwell (06:12):Where to start? We've been bringing on a significant amount of partners, not only on the technical side, but also on the content side. So most recently we did a deal with Spotify. We're very excited about that partnership. Again, from a content perspective and an engagement perspective, that gives us a whole new set of ways and deeper engagement from people while they're on the planes. It's also an opportunity for a loyalty aspect of that as well. And we'll talk a little bit about how Mileage Plus comes into our overall offering, but if you sign up for Spotify Premium, there's a Mileage Plus component to that. We are the first airline to offer audio books and video podcasts within our planes. There's a lot going on in the loyalty space. We are working with many partners to be effectively integrated into our loyalty program with that will also be a media component as well. So this marriage of loyalty and media together is been a real, it's been very successful in terms of not only helping to drive awareness of those campaigns and those opportunities for Mileage plus members to convert, but also to drive media value for those individual brands. So Vivid Seats is another recent partner of ours where we are able to give mileage plus members the opportunity to earn miles as they buy tickets to entertainment. But you can imagine a world where for those types of companies, we know where those individuals are going to(07:41):At those destinations. Those companies know how many seats are available at a particular location. Can we match that data and make really customized targeted advertising campaigns to say, okay, we see you're going to Vegas, here are some seats available when you get there. So that opportunity of matching data with our partners from a targeted perspective and then a loyalty perspective is really limitless in terms of what the opportunity is there.Damian Fowler (08:08):Let me just ask you, partnerships like this seem hugely valuable in this space. What else are you seeing?James Rothwell (08:15):One of the partnerships that we're super excited about is a very recent announcement with JetBlue. We will be working with JetBlue in a number of different ways. Again, loyalty will be a component of that where we are able to, a JetBlue customer can use United Miles to fly on JetBlue and vice versa. There will be a component that will extend to airport and gate availability down the road. There's a commerce play part as part of that where JetBlue will be powering commerce for us for ancillary products like hotels, cruises, cars, et cetera. And then where it's very exciting for the Connected Media group is that we will be effectively selling JetBlue audiences under the connected media roof that will sit alongside our United Media and United audiences. So the combination of that obviously is a scaled audience across different geographies where JetBlue is stronger in the northeast where we are not as strong. So very kind of complimentary in terms of the audience. And that obviously from an advertiser perspective is great because that's more scale. It's one less phone call to make in a world where there's 280 different media networks that kind of consolidation or rather that opportunity to create an airline audience at scale. We think there's massive opportunity there, and we're talking to a number of other airlines about that opportunity.Damian Fowler (09:36):And when you talk about at scale, you've got 63 million mileage plus members, so that's aJames Rothwell (09:42):Serious, yeah. And 174 passengers over the year. I think JetBlue is around 40, soDamian Fowler (09:49):74 million. Yeah.James Rothwell (09:50):Yeah, 174 million. And then you add 40 million of JetBlue you're getting up there in terms of hundreds of millions of audience members that we can now get in front of. That's a serious proposition.Ilyse Liffreing (10:00):Yeah, it's a great partnership really in a lot of ways. Almost a surprising one too, because you guys are competitors but are also helping each other out in ways. AndJames Rothwell (10:13):Again, it's a very complimentary partnership. I think they're strong in places where we don't have the same coverage. And so it works from that perspective. At the airline level, I think what's most interesting for me is we think we might be the first commerce media player to bring a, I wouldn't even call 'em competitor. I would call 'em a pier,(10:35):A pier into the garden. And this is not a walled garden. This is an anti-Wall garden straight. We've built this technology stack purpose built for the airline. We've built it so others don't have to. And we think by bringing more individuals and more airlines into this world, and it could extend to travel partners more broadly than just airlines, we think all boats will rise. I should probably say planes will fly, but we think there's value in, again, creating scale, creating efficiency for buyers, and ultimately sort of making the whole thing a little bit more streamlined.Damian Fowler (11:14):Yeah, yeah. We like that idea that especially when we look at advertisers and media buyers, the idea that everyone benefits from partnerships like this, so it's not like we're it locking you out. That idea of opening up, it's the value prop for media buys is huge.James Rothwell (11:35):Yeah, it's very new. So we're still figuring out all of the logistics. It'll start on the back seat screens and offsite, how we merge those and deduplicate those audiences through technology partners like LiveRamp is still being figured out, but we're very excited about the proposition and we'll start selling offsite later in the year. And then moving on to Seatback screens in 2026.Damian Fowler (12:01):Now, you did mention some metrics here, but we're just going to press you a little further on that. One of the virtues of Connected Media networks is that ability to tie back purchases to customers and some of the campaigns or partnerships you've mentioned. How is that working? What kind of visibility do you have?James Rothwell (12:20):So we work with a number of different measurement partners, Kantar di nata. We've just started working with Adelaide, which is an attention based measuring partner. And recent tests on that is looking pretty good. You can imagine we do have people literally strapped in by their seat belts and the screen is right in front of them. So the viewability is pretty strong, the attention is very strong too. So we're able to prove, obviously, that as an extension of television, whether you call that a CTV or digital out-of-home screen, it's a very compelling proposition for a brand, and it's an opportunity for them to tell stories on a pretty dynamic canvas. But yeah, we work with a number of different measurement partners. We continue to expand those partners because we believe that while we can choose ones that we think are good, that's not always going to be everyone's first choice. And so we want to be able to create flexibility and brands and agencies to bring their own partners to the table. And so over time, we'll integrate more and more of those partners so that again, measurability and measurement is enabled for all in the ways that they want.Ilyse Liffreing (13:29):Very cool. You were talking about how connective is offering omnichannel measurement. Are there any surprises that came out of that analysis so far?James Rothwell (13:41):Yeah, I think some of the insights that I've been most intrigued by have been around what I call the traveler mindset, this idea that individuals may act a little differently when they're in the middle of their journey. And a couple of reasons for that hypothesis. I think if you think about maybe you are a business traveler, your company's paying for your flight, your hotel, probably a little bit of your food if not all, while you're gone. I think people think they've got a little extra change in their pocket. Maybe they'll feel a little bit more open to advertising, open to brands being part of that journey and maybe even convinced that they should go out and actually spend some money on that brand. Obviously there's always the opportunity for those people who've got their sunglasses and making that a purchase in the airport, but I think it goes beyond that. What was really intriguing though for me was we did some analysis around business travelers and noticed that business travelers are actually more likely to respond to advertising than leisure travelers, which for me was a little counterintuitive because I thought business travelers might tune that out given how frequent they are. They're more likely to be frequent flyers, right?(14:54):But I think they may be a little bit more attuned to the environment they're in as opposed to maybe a leisure traveler or AER traveler who's going with their family and they're having to look after the kids. They're a little distracted, or maybe they're zoning out because they can't wait to get to the beach or back home, but the business traveler is a little bit more tuned in. And so I think that's why we've seen so much success with B2B brands because of that insight and that response.Ilyse Liffreing (15:24):And to me, it does sound like there's B2B brands are having kind of a moments, and I think this is across all categories, but it sounds like you're seeing that too, that B2B brands are even driven to the plane beer.James Rothwell (15:40):Yeah, I think in general, B2B marketing as digital has matured, B2B marketing looks a lot like B2C marketing. There's not a huge amount of difference. And brands, there are business brands that really invest a significant amount of money in that brand. And you don't have to look too far from across the sports world to see how many brands are investing in high profile sporting events and wanting to reach influencers and business decision makers. I think we have a great audience for that. So I think we are another choice for brands to be able to engage with them.Damian Fowler (16:14):Quick question here. On that note, do you have any brand partnerships with sports teamsJames Rothwell (16:18):At the United level? We do. We work with a number of different teams across the nation, obviously usually associated a lot more aligned with our hubs where we have a lot more exposure. And so yeah, lots of different professional sports teams. And then obviously when it comes to things like NCAA tournaments, we do a lot of fun marketing around that. If your team unexpectedly goes all the way, you're going to have to hop on a plane, well, we can figure we help you out with that, or you can cancel your flight and don't worry about it. We will take care of you if your team crashes out.Damian Fowler (16:55):Moving on here, to zoom out a little bit and look at the landscape, the big picture, as it were from, should we say 30,000 feet? Let's do it. Terrible. I love it. You wouldn't believe how many plane analogy Canal. Get the pun every, I'm sure you can every day. Lemme ask you for your favorite plane analogy at the end ofJames Rothwell (17:10):Something,Damian Fowler (17:11):But you've likened connectives personalization to Netflix's style recommendation engine, but with rich signals as more brands enter the traveler media space, and we don't necessarily have to name them, what do you see as United's distinct advantage?James Rothwell (17:28):I'm going to highlight another partnership here because I think it will illuminate the audience on where this is going. So we announced our partnership with starlink recently, and we are scaling starlink out across the fleet. That will take some time because we have to take those planes out of rotation, install the hardware, but we did a recent test and got hardcore gamers and hardcore streamers, and we were doing shopping and testing it, and they were literally trying to break it and they couldn't break it. And it was absolutely flawless super fast. That is a game changer because now you can do everything on the ground at 30,000 feet. And there's been a lot of questions about, does that mean we're going to have to take Zoom calls on the planes? And the good news is no, I think you can listen, but I don't think you can talk. So that's kind of the rule there. But yeah, we had people FaceTiming with their moms on that flight, but the reason I bring that up is because that is going to effectively create a whole world of hyper-personalization that just wasn't possible before. The technology that again exists at zero feet will be at 30,000 feet. And so you think about what that means from an advertising perspective, every screen becomes addressable. We can do programmatic delivery against thoseSpeaker 4 (18:53):ScreensJames Rothwell (18:54):And we can create shoppable moments, brand integrations. It unlocks a huge amount of content opportunities as well. Now you can stream live sports, you can stream anything you want on the ground in the air. So that's where I think we already have an advantage in that we have an amazing audience, an omnichannel offering and hours of attention. We're going to supercharge that attention with incredible content and amazing brand integration opportunities and advertising opportunities.Damian Fowler (19:25):We have these rapid fire hot seat questions. You're not strapped in or anything, sorry. Terrible. Another airline analogy. This is one we like to ask. What is it that you are obsessed with figuring out right now about the marketplace you're in?James Rothwell (19:40):I'm obsessed with, I think just continuing to find out more about the audience that we get to engage with every day. I have the pleasure of not only being head of marketing for Connected Media, but I also mileage Plus. And so I'm curious every day about how I can understand more about our loyal customers, how we can enrich their experiences with us and enrich their lives more broadly. Because again, it doesn't stop with the journey from others. How do we engage with them in authentic and compelling ways in a very noisy media marketplace, but also try and get them to continue to think about Mileage Plus and the airline on a more regular basis, not just when they have to travel.Ilyse Liffreing (20:29):Yeah. What would you say is missing from the market and needs to be solved?James Rothwell (20:37):What's missing from the market? I don't think it's missing. It just needs to continue to evolve, and that's measurement. I think no one's cracked the code. It feels like every time we get close, the move a little bit, and as more and more first party data driven networks crop up, it becomes more and more relevant for us to solve the attribution game. And I think even when I understood retail media networks to be the answer to all of that because of closed loop attribution, my understanding is that is still not figured out. That's not still solved. And if retailers who operate at that lower end of the funnel and point of sale haven't figured it out, then that's challenging for the industry because we've got a long way to go still.Damian Fowler (21:21):You mentioned you had a favorite. Do you have any favorite airline? Do you have any favorite airline analogies or even jokes?James Rothwell (21:29):I try to avoid the jokes because that's a tricky one. No, I think a lot of what I talked about today, we were excited to announce it. We're still building, so I would say we're still building the plane while we're flying it.Damian Fowler (21:42):That's a good one. Yeah.Ilyse Liffreing (21:42):Yeah, we use that one all the time.Damian Fowler (21:46):In the business, it works very well.Ilyse Liffreing (21:48):Bad worlds, I would say.Damian Fowler (21:54):And that's it for this edition of The Big Impression.Ilyse Liffreing (21:56):This show is produced by Molten Hart. Our theme is by Love and caliber, and our associate producer is Sydney Cairns.James Rothwell (22:03):And remember, we did some analysis around business travelers and noticed that business travelers are actually more likely to respond to advertising than leisure travelers.Damian Fowler (22:15):I'm Damian. And I'm Ilyse. And we'll see you next time.

We're back with another CONCACAF LASER FOCUS, this time heading to the tax haven known as the Cayman Islands. Donald and Eric recall their trip to Truman Bodden Sports Complex for the inaugural Nations League group stage, and shout out to Coconut Joe's. Eric is up on REAL TEAM OR FAKE TEAM, and no, we still don't know what happened with the coach. Support the podcast by subscribing at www.patreon.com/podcacaf 

Show Notes:Angel's Links:Rock IguanaCoast to Bluff Recreation Access and ConservationAngel Robeldo's InstagramEpisode Intro: Dear listeners of the Female Guides Requested Podcast, happy Wednesday! This is your host, Ting Ting. In this episode, I have guest Angel Robeldo from Rock Iguana, a guide service located in the Cayman Islands. Towards the end of last year, one of my SPI students told me he needed certification to work in the Caribbean, which piqued my interest. As soon as I knew the owner of the guide service was a woman, you can probably guess what happened next!Angel was born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil. She left Brazil in 2005 to discover the world and ended up discovering herself. She has climbed around the world and done a lot of high-altitude mountaineering, including in the Himalayas, Andes, and Denali. Angel has traveled through more than 80 countries but found Cayman Brac to be the perfect place to live and enjoy her lifestyle. Since 2013, she has promoted and helped develop rock climbing in the Cayman Islands. She also helped build a non-profit boulder gym in Grand Cayman where a climbing community started to grow. Angel is an AMGA Certified Single Pitch Instructor.One might say Angel is truly living the dream, but I'd say that is the guaranteed result because she has always followed her mind and heart. Now please enjoy the episode of Angel Robeldo.What We Talked About:From ocean to mountains and back to both ocean and mountainsAn injury changed Angel's life trajectoryFulfilled her dream of living in the CaribbeanPersonal and Professional climbing journey in Cayman BracGrowing up in BrazilFear of height | Fear of ExposureWhere are the clients from?Climbing courses and adventure travelClimb Iguana & Coast to Bluff Recreational Access and ConservationWork & life balanceBeing away helps strengthen the love of her residence Cayman IslandsHoliday guidingQuotes:I was terrified of heights. And that was one of the biggest thing why I stick to climb because I want to investigate that fear and I want to go over that fear.I love to guide people afraid of heights. That's my favorite because I know exactly where you are.Have the fear and go for it. And then suddenly there is no more fear.I keep doing what I love and what drives me and what makes me feel very alive.When you owe a guiding company when it's just you working it's way easier because you just have to manage you when it started to get big and they have all the employees it's just like sometimes it's way more work and no more moneyMost of the time what stop all of us doesn't matter if you are on a female body, on a masculine body, all stop us is on our heads

Become a Client: https://nomadcapitalist.com/apply/ Get our free Weekly Rundown newsletter and be the first to hear about breaking news and offers: https://nomadcapitalist.com/email Join us for the next Nomad Capitalist Live event: https://nomadcapitalist.com/live/ Today, Javier Correa, the tax terminator, shares his personal top pick for a zero-tax jurisdiction, the Cayman Islands. Not only is this a great choice for tax reasons, he also explains how it aligns with his lifestyle, values, and long-term goals, from raising a family to protecting generational wealth and building a stable future. Nomad Capitalist helps clients "go where you're treated best." We are the world's most sought-after firm for offshore tax planning, dual citizenship, international diversification, and asset protection. We use legal and ethical strategies and work exclusively with seven- and eight-figure entrepreneurs and investors. We create and execute holistic, multi-jurisdictional Plans that help clients keep more of their wealth, increase their personal freedom, and protect their families and wealth against threats in their home country. No other firm offers clients access to more potential options to relocate to, bank in, or become a citizen of. Because we do not focus only on one or a handful of countries, we can offer unbiased advice where others can't. Become Our Client: https://nomadcapitalist.com/apply/ Our Website: http://www.nomadcapitalist.com/ About Our Company: https://nomadcapitalist.com/about/ Buy Mr. Henderson's Book: https://nomadcapitalist.com/book/ DISCLAIMER: The information in this episode should not be considered tax, financial, investment, or any kind of professional advice. Only a professional diagnosis of your specific situation can determine which strategies are appropriate for your needs. Nomad Capitalist can and does not provide advice unless/until engaged by you.

Get to know LSU Track & Field sprinter Jaiden Reid, a sophomore from the Cayman Islands, on the latest edition of The Real Deal.

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger PictureThe [CB] is pushing that tariffs are going to raise prices, it hasn't happened yet so they will try to show the people by raising prices, Trump is calling them out on this. The Fed has been in a holding pattern, Moody's just downgraded the US credit rating, picture becoming clearer. The big beautiful bill will destroy the fake news/D's narrative. Economic boomerang. Trump is exposing the entire [DS] system, the people need to see this. The system is fighting against Trump and We The People every step of the way. Trump needed the people to see this if we were going to go to the next phase, the people needed to approve Trumps next actions. Trump is now bringing in the Clinton/Obama angle. Did Trump just set the stage that all roads lead to Obama? Scavino sends message that the military might be the only way.   Economy  (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); Foreign Investors Loaded Up on Treasury Securities in March Despite all the Turmoil in the Media  And in April, their purchases of long-term securities at Treasury auctions increased.  Buying US Treasury securities was all the rage among foreign investors in March, despite whatever turmoil there was in the media. All foreign investors combined, from central banks to private investors, increased their holdings of Treasury securities by $233 billion in March from February, and by $942 billion over the past 12 months, to a record $9.05 trillion (red in the chart). The majority of what they bought were long-term Treasury securities, which increased by $133 billion to a record $7.63 trillion, according to data by the Treasury Department Friday afternoon (blue in the chart). The buying was across the major holders, except for China and Hong Kong combined, and for Ireland. Of particular note: Canada's holdings of Treasury securities spiked majestically in February and March, despite the tariffs and the ultra-sour mood in Canada about US-anything. Increases in March, and total Treasury holdings: United Kingdom: +$29 billion, to $779 billion Luxembourg: unchanged, at $412 billion Cayman Islands: +$37 billion to $455 billion Ireland: -10 billion to $329 billion Belgium: +$7 billion to $402 billion Switzerland: +$21 billion to $312 billion.   Source: wolfstreet.com https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1923470842089902157 Moody's downgrade of US rating may not dent stock markets much: Analysts Global financial markets may not react much to Moody's Ratings downgrade of United States' rating from AAA to Aa1, believe analysts, except for a knee-jerk reaction, if any. At the domestic level, Indian stock markets would be focussed more developments such as progress of monsoon, corporate results and economic data. Talks on tariff-related issues with the US will also impact sentiment.   Moody's downgrade, they said, was more to get the rating in sync with Fitch and S&P, who have already downgraded US' ratings. While Fitch had downgraded the rating to AA+ from AAA in August 2023, S&P had lowered US' rating back in August 2011.  Source: business-standard.com https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1923496054017708041   The ‘Big,

In this eye-opening episode of The Daily Signal podcast, Rob Bluey interviews Chris Iacovella, CEO of the American Securities Association. Iacovella recently testified before Congress about a disturbing financial reality many Americans are unaware of. Iacovella explains how Wall Street exploits multiple loopholes that allow companies controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to access American capital markets, despite laws prohibiting foreign ownership of Chinese companies. Key points discussed: How American investments are unknowingly funding CCP activities, including the internment of Uyghurs, PLA weapons systems, cyber attacks against the U.S., and what the State Department has classified as genocide The "Variable Interest Entity" loophole: Americans who think they're buying shares in Chinese companies like Alibaba are actually only purchasing rights to a contract with a Cayman Islands company that contracts with the mainland Chinese company The "Passive Index" loophole: Asset managers include mainland Chinese companies in index funds sold to U.S. investors, allowing these companies to access American capital without complying with U.S. laws and regulations Bipartisan legislation from Rep. Andy Barr and Sen. John Cornyn aimed at identifying Chinese companies with ties to the military or specific technology infrastructure Why China's economic competition is fundamentally unfair: "When you have slave labor, no environmental laws, no OSHA laws, and no labor laws, of course it's going to be cheaper" Iacovella also explains the mission of the American Securities Association as a non-Wall Street trade association representing approximately 100 member firms across the country. Its mission is to "promote investor trust and confidence and to facilitate the flow of capital to small businesses across America." Listen now to understand how your investments might be inadvertently supporting a foreign adversary and what you can do about it. Keep Up With The Daily Signal Sign up for our email newsletters: https://www.dailysignal.com/email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   Subscribe to our other shows:  Problematic Women: https://www.dailysignal.com/problematic-women⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  The Signal Sitdown: https://www.dailysignal.com/the-signal-sitdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  The Tony Kinnett Cast: https://www.dailysignal.com/the-tony-kinnett-cast Follow The Daily Signal:  X: ⁠⁠https://x.com/DailySignal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedailysignal/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDailySignalNews/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Truth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@DailySignal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DailySignal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Rumble: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://rumble.com/c/TheDailySignal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Thanks for making The Daily Signal your trusted source for the day's top news. Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and never miss an episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this inspiring episode of REJUVENAGING with Dr. Ron Kaiser, Dr. Ron welcomes international fitness expert a Laura Ribbins, a pioneer in land and aquatic wellness programs. Laura shares her vibrant journey from her outdoorsy upbringing near Boston to founding Fitness Connection in the Cayman Islands over 36 years ago. Her passion for movement, nature, and energy laid the foundation for a lifetime of helping others discover the power of staying active at every age—whether on land or in water.Laura discusses the unique benefits of water-based fitness from its therapeutic value for babies to its strength-building properties for older adults. She explains how water offers not only physical support but emotional healing, citing powerful examples of clients overcoming fear and trauma. Laura's keen intuition, innovative teaching style, and infectious positivity make her a sought-after guide for individuals looking to regain health, strength, and confidence—regardless of age or ability.Throughout the episode, Laura and Dr. Ron explore strategies for making movement an enjoyable, lifelong habit. They emphasize the importance of starting small, creating family routines around physical activity, and integrating motion into daily life—even if it's just walking during commercials or dancing in the living room. Laura also shares her virtual offerings and community wellness resources for those looking to take their first step toward rejuvenation. This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking motivation to move and age enthusiastically.More info:https://successwithlaura.com/https://www.facebook.com/laura.ribbinshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1oNlwHxvHe0369CRhHxS_Qhttps://www.instagram.com/lauraribbins/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on U Up?, we're making the most of our extra hour of daylight, mostly by making excuses to leave work early. Jared's fresh off of a trip to Boca and has the fresh tan to prove it. Jordana's planning for her own winter getaway with an upcoming trip to the Cayman Islands. Jared tells us about a strange run-in he had with a fan while on a swanky date.  Later, we hear from a listener who's conflicted about whether or not she should go on a girl's trip to Miami because it makes her boyfriend uncomfortable. On “Awkward Encounter,” an apartment nightmare turns into a reality when a listener's sister finds out her ex boyfriend's new girlfriend moved into the unit next door. On “Red Flag or Deal Breaker?”, we got bet bragging, dog poop hurling and trauma dumping.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices