Podcasts about Cuban

We're back to chismear un poco about recent musician-related gossip. Who recently hard launched their ex in a profile of their dog? Which Latinx power couple that we wrote about in our book is no more? Which daughter of a famous Cuban musician recently found herself in the headlines? Listen in to learn all about it. Order our new book, MUE´VELO here: bit.ly/433NaH0 Check out our book events: radiomenea.com/events

This week marks the 1-year anniversary of Trump's boat strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific oceans. On September 2, 2025, President Donald Trump announced the first air strike on a boat in the Caribbean. Trump said the boat allegedly carried drugs off the coast of Venezuela. It marked the beginning of a hostile U.S. foreign policy that has seen the U.S. invade Venezuela, unleash a devastating oil blockade on Cuba, and justify it all under a renewed Monroe Doctrine, which the President is calling his Donroe Doctrine.Meanwhile, the boat strikes have continued until today, even though Trump administration officials say they have not actually decreased the amount of drugs arriving on U.S. soil. As of this week, the U.S. government has attacked at least 68 boats over the last year, killing more than 220 people.The Trump administration is now using his foreign policy to attack progressive opponents at home, labelling them pawns of Cuba, and "one of the single largest, most sophisticated and dangerous vectors for hostile foreign influence in modern American history."In this episode, Michael Fox walks through the anniversary of the boat strikes. He dissects a new Cuban report published by the State Department to attack dissidents at home, and then looks at the regional resistance to Trump at the Panamerican Congress, which was held in August in Montevideo, Uruguay. This is Episode 13 of Under the Shadow, Season 2.Under the Shadow is an investigative narrative podcast series that walks back in time, telling the story of the past by visiting momentous places in the present. Season 2 responds in real time to the Trump administration's onslaught on Latin America.Follow Under the Shadow on Spotify and Apple PodcastsHosted by Latin America-based journalist Michael Fox.This podcast is produced in partnership between The Real News Network and NACLA.It is supported, in part, by Global Exchange.Theme music by Michael Fox's band, Monte Perdido. Monte Perdido's 2024 album Ofrenda is available on Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you listen to music.Other music from Blue Dot Sessions and Epidemic Sound.Script editing by Heather Gies.Hosted, written, produced, mixed, and edited by Michael Fox.Guests: Alexander MainJake JohnstonResources: Belly of the Beast is a U.S-based independent media outlet, reporting from Havana. Many thanks for their incredible ongoing work. You can visit their site here: www.bellyofthebeastcuba.comBelow are links to the video clips used in today's episode: “Helping” Cuba While Destroying Its Economyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TRYNU9-h5AThis History Professor Graded Marco Rubio's Cuba Report. He Got an F.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8hqJI4kOWcMany thanks to Alex Main and Jake Johnston from the Center for Economic and Policy Research for taking the time to speak with me and for their excellent analysis and insight.You can visit CEPR's Live Tracker on Latin America.You can check out Michael Fox's Patreon.More background… The Beginning: Monroe and migration | Under the Shadow, Episode 1Panama. US Invasion. | Under the Shadow, Episode 13The legacy of Monroe | Under the Shadow, Bonus Episode 4 Support Under the Shadow: Please consider supporting this podcast and Michael Fox's reporting on his Patreon account: patreon.com/mfox. There you can also see exclusive pictures, video, and interviews.You can subscribe to Michael Fox's new free speech podcast, The Battle for Free Speech On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033olXvh3dLzQFJc1HSd6O?si=7eda46a92fe14894Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-battle-for-free-speech/id1896829044Or wherever you get your podcasts.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support.Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!

Trumpeter and bandleader Arturo Sandoval is a Latin music legend who began his career as a co-founder of the essential Cuban band Irakere and since moving to the States has incorporated the sounds of soul, jazz, funk, and Afrobeat into his music. Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and his life was the subject of the film For Love Or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story, with Andy Garcia starring as Arturo. The real Arturo Sandoval was born in Cuba, defected to America with the help of his friend Dizzy Gillespie, and became one of the foundational figures in Afro-Cuban jazz. By the way, he was recently knighted by the King of Spain. His new album shows that Sandoval retains his youthful enthusiasm; it's called Sangú – an inadvertent bit of Spanglish that simply means “sounds good.” Arturo Sandoval leads his band in some of these latest tunes from Sangú - bebop, funk, Yoruba spiritual memory, riding along with Cuban phrasing and percussion, in-studio. He also demonstrates the jaw harp, shows off his “Red Trumpet”, and tells the harrowing story of how he gained political asylum for himself and his family while touring in Europe in 1990. - Caryn Havlik Set list: 1.Scat 2. La Ventura 3. Sangu 4. Blues (outro) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Moon is back from the Cali Country Cruise, and apparently all it took was several days trapped on a boat with country music, expensive Wi-Fi, questionable pools and enough alcohol to sink a smaller boat to make our resident cruise defender reconsider his entire belief system.Welcome to Episode 146 of The Rizzuto Show, the funny podcast where a perfectly normal vacation recap somehow ends with violent otters, bats trying to enter human mouths, artificial intelligence being defeated by Hawaiian shirts, and Missouri discovering that the rest of America apparently doesn't love our vibes.Moon kicks things off with the full report from the Cali Country Cruise, sailing from Long Beach to Ensenada, Mexico. The lineup included Tracy Lawrence, Gretchen Wilson, Jo Dee Messina, Chase Rice and plenty more, while Moon performed with Sullivan. There were some musical highs, some musical... let's call them learning opportunities... and the revelation that Jo Dee Messina may have discovered the ultimate cruise hack: perform before the ship leaves and then GET OFF THE BOAT.Genius. No notes.Gretchen Wilson, meanwhile, delivered one of Moon's highlights of the entire trip with a killer performance and band. Unfortunately, the actual cruise experience wasn't getting the same review. We're talking pricey Wi-Fi that barely worked, a balcony-room mix-up, limited excursion options, fake Cuban cigars, a stage built over the pool and a tiny backup pool populated by people who apparently had no interest in ever getting out.Nothing makes you rethink vacation choices like sitting in a hot tub in Mexico wondering how much human broth is legally allowed before it becomes soup.And somehow that's not even where the cruise chaos ends. The ship was reportedly delayed while authorities dealt with passengers suspected of bringing meth aboard, while another passenger managed to get cut off from the alcohol package before the ship even left. Imagine getting grounded by a cruise ship while you're still within swimming distance of your car.From there, this funny podcast turns into a tour of America's most overrated attractions. Four Corners gets roasted. Mount Rushmore gets called smaller than expected. Times Square takes a hit. The Las Vegas Strip lands at the top of the list. Lern also reveals she once got emotional seeing Chicago's Bean, proving once again that public art can be powerful when it looks like a gigantic piece of silver produce.Then the animals arrive.A swimmer at Lake Tahoe reportedly gets attacked by an otter and requires 38 stitches, prompting Rafe to immediately begin defending the otter because apparently wildlife now has legal representation on The Rizzuto Show. Then there's a possible shark attack near the Massachusetts location associated with Jaws, followed by the deeply upsetting story of a woman waking from a dream about a mouse crawling toward her mouth... only to discover there was actually a BAT near her mouth.Sleep tight, everybody.We also discover a Hawaiian shirt designed to confuse AI-powered surveillance cameras, which means Weird Al may have been preparing for the surveillance state this entire time.Finally, Missouri and Illinois get dragged into America's "worst vibes" rankings before the crew investigates which states hate each other the most. Missouri's answer? Kansas. Obviously. Centuries pass, civilizations rise and fall, and Missouri will apparently still find time to be annoyed by Kansas.Follow The Rizzuto Show → linktr.ee/rizzshow for more from your favorite daily comedy show.Connect with The Rizzuto Show Comedy Podcast online → 1057thepoint.com/RizzShow.Hear The Rizz Show daily on the radio at 105.7 The Point | Hubbard Radio in St. Louis, MO.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Moon kicks things off with the full report from the Cali Country Cruise, sailing from Long Beach to Ensenada, Mexico. The lineup included Tracy Lawrence, Gretchen Wilson, Jo Dee Messina, Chase Rice and plenty more, while Moon performed with Sullivan. There were some musical highs, some musical... let's call them learning opportunities... and the revelation that Jo Dee Messina may have discovered the ultimate cruise hack: perform before the ship leaves and then GET OFF THE BOAT.Gretchen Wilson, meanwhile, delivered one of Moon's highlights of the entire trip with a killer performance and band. Unfortunately, the actual cruise experience wasn't getting the same review. We're talking pricey Wi-Fi that barely worked, a balcony-room mix-up, limited excursion options, fake Cuban cigars, a stage built over the pool and a tiny backup pool populated by people who apparently had no interest in ever getting out.From there, this funny podcast turns into a tour of America's most overrated attractions. Four Corners gets roasted. Mount Rushmore gets called smaller than expected. Times Square takes a hit. The Las Vegas Strip lands at the top of the list. Lern also reveals she once got emotional seeing Chicago's Bean, proving once again that public art can be powerful when it looks like a gigantic piece of silver produce.A swimmer at Lake Tahoe reportedly gets attacked by an otter and requires 38 stitches, prompting Rafe to immediately begin defending the otter because apparently wildlife now has legal representation on The Rizzuto Show. Then there's a possible shark attack near the Massachusetts location associated with Jaws, followed by the deeply upsetting story of a woman waking from a dream about a mouse crawling toward her mouth... only to discover there was actually a BAT near her mouth.We also discover a Hawaiian shirt designed to confuse AI-powered surveillance cameras, which means Weird Al may have been preparing for the surveillance state this entire time.Missouri and Illinois get dragged into America's "worst vibes" rankings before the crew investigates which states hate each other the most. Missouri's answer? Kansas. Obviously. Centuries pass, civilizations rise and fall, and Missouri will apparently still find time to be annoyed by Kansas.Moon kicks things off with the glamorous realities of modern air travel after seemingly every flight on his trip decided that “on time” was more of a suggestion. A canceled connection, rerouting through Dallas, delays into Los Angeles and another delay getting back to St. Louis gave him plenty of time to catch up on movies. Unfortunately, that included The Mandalorian and Grogu, which gets a very enthusiastic C-minus review. Somewhere, a Star Wars fan just felt a disturbance in the Force.Then we discover that Americans apparently hit an energy wall around 2:48 in the afternoon, which explains basically every email you've ever received after lunch. Rafe's sleep schedule is wrecked, Lern is fighting afternoon cravings with hard-boiled eggs, and that leads to perhaps the most important culinary advice ever delivered on a funny podcast: if you've already hard-boiled the egg, you're halfway to a deviled egg.That discussion somehow turns into stale cereal confessions. Lern admits to eating old strawberry vanilla Chex after band practice while Rafe reveals that he knowingly ate stale Pops AND stale Golden Grahams. This is less a morning show and more four adults slowly admitting things that should probably stay between themselves and their pantries.Then it's time for Crap on Celebrities, where things get appropriately ridiculous. A woman is accused of stealing and crashing an ambulance outside an Avenged Sevenfold and Good Charlotte concert. Sevendust drummer Morgan Rose gets some love. Gibson is releasing an extremely limited Billy Gibbons “Pearly Gates” Les Paul. Sean Ono Lennon welcomes his first child, making John Lennon and Yoko Ono grandparents for the first time. There's also a Matthew Perry documentary on the way, more Tulsa King, and the crew tries to understand the enormous world of people watching other people play video games.Speaking of gaming, Grand Theft Auto gets everybody talking about Twitch, streaming communities, gameplay fandoms, and the strange realization that watching someone else play a game can become an entire entertainment ecosystem. Scott even admits he made “multiple dollars” streaming, so please respect the media mogul.Hollywood keeps the nonsense rolling with Emmy gift bags, Marvel's mysterious Secret Wars casting, Hamnet, and Ridley Scott reportedly having some thoughts about Paul Mescal and Gladiator 2. That opens the floodgates because Rafe and Moon are more than happy to discuss just how much they hated that movie. Sharks in the Coliseum are put on trial. The verdict is not favorable.There's also a live-action Street Fighter movie coming with a completely unhinged cast, including Jason Momoa, 50 Cent, Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Eric André and more. Apparently somebody looked at the casting board and selected “yes.”Finally, Journey brings Steve Perry look-alike Hugo Valenti onstage during shows in Japan, causing some fans to apparently wonder whether the real Steve Perry had returned. The crew listens to the results, and that goes exactly as respectfully as longtime listeners would expect.Throw in birthdays, Terry Bradshaw, Keanu Reeves, Salma Hayek, Rafe's increasingly dangerous wordplay, and all the other nonsense that somehow qualifies as broadcasting, and you've got another funny podcast from The Rizzuto Show.Delayed flights. Deviled eggs. Stale Pops. Celebrity fails. Video games. Gladiator sharks. Fake Steve Perry.We accomplished nothing and covered everything.The Cali-Country Cruise7 most overrated US attractionsWoman attacked by otter while swimming says 'it felt like a human'Woman gets potential shark bite off Martha's Vineyard, in the town "Jaws" was filmedWhich US state has the worst vibes?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1916 BULGARIA REFUGEESGlobal Chaos Drives Rise of NationalismGregory Copley outlines how global actors leverage chaos to achieve strategic goals, noting China's aggressive attempts to disrupt the Pacific Islands Forum in Palau due to Taiwan's participation. Beijing's hostile diplomacy also targets Eswatini, Africa's sole state recognizing Taiwan, to strip Taiwan of international support. Copley notes that energy security is governed by transportation bottlenecks, highlighting the strategic importance of Cuban cobalt for future energy storage. Finally, he explains how uncontrolled migration and Russian hybrid operations drive resurgent European nationalism, prompting a breakdown of supranational systems like the European Union. He also touches on British royal dynamics. (5)

CAPTION 1857 WALL STREET, 230 PM, PANICCONTENTS OF THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW 9-1-2026Economic Strength Persists Despite Oil PressuresLiz Peek observes that while Wall Street is split on whether the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates in September, the American economy remains robust. Consumer spending is strong, small business profitability is at yearly highs, and hiring remains resilient. The primary economic headwind is rising oil prices fueled by the war in Iran. Additionally, she analyzes the investment potential of rebuilding Venezuela's ruined oil infrastructure, estimating it will take five years to yield significant production increases. Finally, Peek highlights how progressive groups like the Democratic Socialists of America and Chinese misinformation bots actively oppose crucial domestic data center development. (1)Russian Hybrid Attacks Destabilize European SecurityJudy Dempsey discusses European frustration over the unexpected presence of Russia's finance minister at a G20meeting, which highlighted a lack of communication within the transatlantic alliance. She details the Leipzig drone incident—a critical near-miss attack at a vital logistics hub for Ukraine—which is suspected to be a Russian hybrid operation. Dempsey explains how Russia leverages cyber and physical threats to instill fear, polarization, and anxiety among voters. This instability directly bolsters the populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which capitalizes on eastern Germany's demographic decline, economic resentment, and euroskeptic nationalism. (2)Hidden Fiscal Challenges Facing Modern EconomiesJoseph Sternberg warns Americans about the hidden burdens of a Value Added Tax (VAT), a consumption tax common in Europe. Although pitched as simple, Sternberg argues that this tax creates immense compliance burdens for small businesses, requiring a full working week annually to administer. This complexity fosters a cash-based gray market to evade the tax. Furthermore, because the tax is concealed within product prices rather than added at checkout, politicians can easily hike rates without public outcry. Sternberg also contrasts Europe's expensive, highly regulated data center shortage with America's resistance to building the AI infrastructure crucial for its economic future. (3)Canada Navigates Trade Rupture With AmericaCharles Burton highlights the geopolitical fallout from the breakdown of US-Canada trade negotiations, which resulted in a fifty percent tariff penalty on Canada. This dispute sparked a surge of anti-American nationalism, boosting political support for Mark Carney, particularly in Quebec over French-language protection concerns. Consequently, Canada is rapidly diversifying its trade away from the United States, aligning closer with China and the European Union. Burton warns that Beijing stands to benefit immensely, offering trade access if Canada ceases opposing Chinese geostrategic interests, while Ottawa prioritizes west coast pipelines to ship oil directly to China. (4)Global Chaos Drives Rise of NationalismGregory Copley outlines how global actors leverage chaos to achieve strategic goals, noting China's aggressive attempts to disrupt the Pacific Islands Forum in Palau due to Taiwan's participation. Beijing's hostile diplomacy also targets Eswatini, Africa's sole state recognizing Taiwan, to strip Taiwan of international support. Copley notes that energy security is governed by transportation bottlenecks, highlighting the strategic importance of Cuban cobalt for future energy storage. Finally, he explains how uncontrolled migration and Russian hybrid operations drive resurgent European nationalism, prompting a breakdown of supranational systems like the European Union. He also touches on British royal dynamics. (5)Frustrated Voters Navigate Challenging Midterm DynamicsThaddeus McCotter interprets midterm election polling, explaining how the president's approval rating influences independent voters seeking checks and balances in Congress. He notes that high, near-identical disapproval ratings for both major parties reflect widespread voter frustration with outdated governing paradigms. Rather than outright anger, Americans are frustrated by the lack of sane, competent governance and positive, aspirational platforms. McCotter highlights how voters connect abstract foreign policies, such as ongoing operations in Iran, directly to their daily lives and pocketbooks through tangible domestic indicators like high gasoline prices. (6)University Core Curriculum Reform Offers PromisePeter Berkowitz discusses university core curriculum reform, pointing to a promising new proposal at the University of Texas at Austin. He argues that traditional core curricula fail because tenured faculty prioritize narrow research interests over student needs, leaving graduates without a foundational understanding of Western civilization, American political ideas, or global cultures. Under UT Austin's top-down initiative, the curriculum is divided into arts and humanities, social sciences, and STEM, offering deep introductions to major issues. Berkowitz contrasts this structured reform with conventional systems that students merely view as arbitrary academic hoops. (7)Syrian Integration Brings Hope and RiskAhmad Sharawi outlines regional developments in the Middle East, starting with a US-mediated agreement involving the IAEA and Syria to monitor nuclear material from the bombed Al-Kibar site. Although supervised by the IAEA, the material remaining in Syria poses a risk of theft or exploitation by neighbors. Sharawi also details the finalized integration of Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces into the national military, granting Kurds citizenship and language rights while expanding state control to ninety-seven percent of Syrian territory. This satisfies Turkey by ending hopes of Kurdish autonomy. Finally, he notes impending US sanctions against Oman for sanctions-busting. (8)

In our ongoing series, “If Lee Harvey Oswald Didn't Kill JFK, Then Who Did?”, we've examined some of the men who have been accused over the years of taking part in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. This week, we turn our attention to one of the more intriguing—and controversial—names connected to the case: Herminio Díaz García.Díaz García was a Cuban exile, anti-Castro militant, and a man reportedly experienced with weapons and political violence. Years after the assassination, allegations emerged that placed him not simply somewhere on the fringes of the JFK story—but in Dallas on November 22, 1963, as a participant in the assassination itself.But where did that allegation come from? Who claimed Díaz García was involved? What evidence supports the story, and what evidence contradicts it? And perhaps most importantly: is there any reason to believe Herminio Díaz García could have been one of the men who fired at President Kennedy in Dealey Plaza?That's what we're going to investigate today on The End of Innocence.

LOUNGE LIZARDS PRESENTED BY FABRICA5 - Brilliant Honduran Cigars - Visit Fabrica005.com and use code LIZARDPOD at checkout for 10% off THE ENTIRE STORE! Free worldwide shipping from Miami on all orders over $125. See website for more information and terms.SMALL BATCH CIGAR - SAVE 15% - Exclusive Cigar Retail Partner of the Lizards - Visit SmallBatchCigar.com and use code LIZARD15 for 15% off your order. Free shipping and 5% rewards back always. Standard exclusions apply. Simple. Fast. Small Batch Cigar.Recorded at Ten86 Cigars in Hawthorne, New Jersey, the Lizards pair the Partagás 8-9-8 (ROU NOV 10) with The Macallan Sherry Cask 18 Years Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky. The guys celebrate 250 episodes with a unicorn cigar from 2010, they level the playing field and debate if they'd bring Cubans back into their daily rotations and a Bam beauty secret is accidentally revealed at a post-pod soirée.PLUS: Big Giveaway Announced, Lizard's Latest Post-Pod Hangout Spot, Lizard Surgeon on 250 Episodes, Grinder/Poobah/Fundie Dinner Updates, New Davidoffs for Flagship Stores, Bam's Renovation, La Galera's 90th & MoreJoin the Lounge Lizards for a weekly discussion on all things cigars (both Cuban and non-Cuban), whiskey, food, travel, life and work. This is your formal invitation to join us in a relaxing discussion amongst friends and become a card-carrying Lounge Lizard yourself. This is not your typical cigar podcast. We're a group of friends who love sharing cigars, whiskey and a good laugh.website/merch/rating archive: loungelizardspod.comemail: hello@loungelizardspod.com to join the conversation and be featured on an upcoming episode!instagram: @loungelizardspodGizmo HQ: LizardGizmo.com

In this episode, Jason Christian and Anthony Ballas are joined by guest Silas Nathan to discuss Mikhail Kalatozov's iconic film, I Am Cuba (1964), a Soviet-Cuban collaboration about the years just before and during the revolution.  Silas Nathan is a Latin Americanist, translator, and photographer whose work focuses on US-Latin America relations. He wrote his undergraduate thesis about Cuban cinema. He has a BA in Spanish Studies and a master's degree in teaching, both from Bard College.  In this episode we discuss:  The recent US State Department Cuba report, its implications for political organizing, and its connection to Cold War history.  The Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry, or ICAIC, the state-funded filmmaking organization established in March of 1959, just three months after the Revolutionary victory. The organization is still making films to this day.  The historical and political context of I Am Cuba Kalatov's dialectical aesthetic vision The incredible production and cinematography of I Am Cuba The misunderstood legacy of I Am Cuba and its orginal reception in Cuba.   _____________________ We love to give book or film recommendations on the podcast, so here are ours for this episode:  Silas's recommendations: the books Cuban Cinema by Michael Chanan and Cuba: A New History by Richard Gott; the news organization Belly of the Beast; and the 1968 film Memories of Underdevelopment, directed by Tomás Gutiérrez Alea. Tony's recommendations: the 1944 Haitian novel Gouverneurs de la rosée, by Jacques Roumain, and the 1968 Soviet novel The Foundation Pit, by Andrei Platonov. Jason's recommendations: the Cuba Analysis podcast, especially the recent episode with Prof. Isaac Saney; the book We Are Cuba! How a Revolutionary People Have Survived in a Post-Soviet World by Helen Yaffe; and the 1977 film De cierta manera (One Way or Another), directed by Sara Gómez. _____________________ Like and subscribe to Cold War Cinema, and don't forget to leave us a review! Want to continue the conversation? Drop us a line at any time at coldwarcinemapod@gmail.com. To stay up to date on Cold War Cinema, follow along at coldwarcinema.com, or find us online on Bluesky @coldwarcinema.com or on X at @Cold_War_Cinema.  For more from your hosts: Follow Silas on X (Twitter) here: @jsnathan03, and check out Concrete Conditions, Silas's Substack on history and culture. Follow Jason on Bluesky at @JasonChristian.bsky.social, on X at @JasonAChristian, or on Letterboxed at @exilemagic.  Follow Anthony on Bluesky at @tonyjballas.bsky.social, on X at @tonyjballas. Follow Paul on Bluesky at @ptklein.com, or on Letterboxed at @ptklein. Paul also writes about movies at www.howotreadmovies.com  _____________________ Logo by Jason Christian  Theme music by DYAD (Charles Ballas and Jeremy Averitt).  Happy listening!

Mary Anastasia O'Grady explains how the US is aggressively targeting Cuban regime elites by freezing assets and revoking visas. To facilitate the regime's collapse, O'Grady stresses that the US must present a viable post-collapse plan for "Day Zero" to avoid chaos, bloodshed, or oligarchic asset-grabbing. She advocates for securing property rights to encourage external investments and suggests using multilateral peacekeepers to maintain order. She supports a transitional board of Cuban-Americans and Americans to manage investments and prevent former military elites from seizing privatized state assets. (4)

CONTENTS JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW 8-27-2026.Anatol Lieven warns that foreign policy establishments in both the United States and Britain have embraced a dangerous militarism. He highlights how the Biden administration failed to rejoin the nuclear deal with Iran, seeking instead a harder bargain. Furthermore, Europe faces acute escalation risks over Ukraine; Russia has warned of retaliation against Britain for authorizing the use of Storm Shadow missiles inside Russian territory. Lieven cautions that British Prime Minister Burnham's domestic agenda could be destroyed if a stray British missile strikes a Russian civilian target, triggering a direct, retaliatory attack on British soil. (1)Peter Huessy argues that nuclear deterrence remains vital but requires continuous modernization of missiles, submarines, bombers, and command systems to match Russian and Chinese advancements. He explains that conventional defense fails against nuclear attacks in military war games. Huessy advocates for "counterforce" strategies—targeting an enemy's weapons and leadership rather than innocent civilian cities ("countervalue"). He also supports adding theater nuclear systems to deter Russia's "escalate to win" doctrine, which utilizes low-yield battlefield nuclear weapons to force a NATO stand-down. (2)Andrea Stricker discusses the concerning US-Saudi bilateral nuclear agreement, which triggers a 90-day congressional review. This pact opens the door to uranium enrichment on Saudi soil, setting a dangerous precedent that could spark a regional "domino effect." Additionally, Stricker highlights unresolved risks in Syria. Despite a US-brokered deal to turn over natural uranium metal, Syria's al-Qaeda-linked leadership intends to rebuild its civil nuclear program. She urges the US to enforce the complete removal of all nuclear material from Syria rather than giving extremists a pass. (3)Mary Anastasia O'Grady explains how the US is aggressively targeting Cuban regime elites by freezing assets and revoking visas. To facilitate the regime's collapse, O'Grady stresses that the US must present a viable post-collapse plan for "Day Zero" to avoid chaos, bloodshed, or oligarchic asset-grabbing. She advocates for securing property rights to encourage external investments and suggests using multilateral peacekeepers to maintain order. She supports a transitional board of Cuban-Americans and Americans to manage investments and prevent former military elites from seizing privatized state assets. (4)Conrad Black analyzes the impending trade dispute between Canada and the United States, labeled "the dumbest trade war ever." President Trump's comments describing Canada as a "51st state" and calling the Prime Minister "governor" have sparked deep resentment across Canada. Prime Minister Carney has ended negotiations and threatened retaliatory tariffs, securing tentative public support. However, the political opposition is demanding that Carney publish the underlying negotiation documents and recall parliament to build an all-party policy. Black argues this represents a moment of great risk but also a Churchillian opportunity. (5)Jane Rogoyska explores the history of Paris's Hôtel Lutetia, which served as a haven for fleeing Weimar intellectuals before becoming a Nazi military intelligence headquarters in 1940. Rogoyska traces waves of refugees fleeing Nazi persecution, including writers Heinrich Mann and Lion Feuchtwanger. These figures struggled to warn an indifferent Europe about the dangers of fascism. Despite personal tragedies and bureaucratic challenges, literary giants like James Joyce, Samuel Beckett, and Arthur Koestler frequented the hotel, carrying poison just in case they were captured. (6)Evan Ellis details how an unprecedented "super El Niño" is battering the Americas, causing floods in Peru and severe droughts affecting the Panama Canal. He outlines political developments, including Chile's struggle to finance aging copper mining infrastructure despite high global prices. In Venezuela, the "Rodrigato" gang leadership continues to slow-walk democratic reforms while benefiting from US-supervised oil sales. Colombia's new conservative president, de la Espriella, has prioritized security and pro-business reforms. Finally, in Panama, the US is expanding security efforts to counter persistent Chinese commercial and diplomatic encirclement. (7)

In late Summer of 2001, the UN hosted what it called the “World Conference on Racism” in Durban, South Africa.Instead of combating racism, the conference incited it, becoming the worst international manifestation of Jew-hatred since World War II and the Nazi Holocaust.Cuban dictator Fidel Castro accused Israel of “genocide.” Yes, way back then.Gerald Steinberg, the founder and president of NGO Monitor, a think tank focused, as its name suggests, on non-governmental organizations, talks to host Cliff May about how and why those poisonous seeds were planted, and what they've grown into more than two decades later.

In late Summer of 2001, the UN hosted what it called the “World Conference on Racism” in Durban, South Africa.Instead of combating racism, the conference incited it, becoming the worst international manifestation of Jew-hatred since World War II and the Nazi Holocaust.Cuban dictator Fidel Castro accused Israel of “genocide.” Yes, way back then.Gerald Steinberg, the founder and president of NGO Monitor, a think tank focused, as its name suggests, on non-governmental organizations, talks to host Cliff May about how and why those poisonous seeds were planted, and what they've grown into more than two decades later.

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band brings classic New Orleans jazz with afro-Cuban roots, to the Jackson Center for the Arts tonight.

Mark Cuban weighs in on the political and economic differences between California and Texas, criticizing California's leadership and high taxes while pointing to the continued migration to Texas. Despite those criticisms, Cuban is backing Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico and urging Texans to support him, while questioning what Republicans have done for the state.

How Discount Theater and Generic Compliance Ratios Quietly Overcharge Patients and Employers. Episode 526. Mark Cuban, co-founder of Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, and Cora Opsahl, managing director of Peterson Health Analytics and former director of the 32BJ Health Fund, join Stacey Richter for an outtake from their conversation last fall (EP488) on the operational mechanics of the pharmacy supply chain. They trace how a generic compliance ratio—typically requiring pharmacies to buy at least 92% of their generics from a single primary wholesaler—pushes independent pharmacies into paying a premium that gets passed straight to patients, and how so-called pass-through PBM contracts can pay pharmacies using one pricing formula while billing employers using an entirely different one. Along the way, they walk through the classic generic imatinib example—a drug Cost Plus Drugs sells for $25 a month that a traditional PBM channel has billed at $9,000—to show why a discount off an inflated reference price is, as Cuban puts it, discount theater. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ✅ Why pharmacies get locked into overpaying: wholesalers set a Generic Compliance Ratio requiring pharmacies to buy at least 92% of their generics from them or face chargebacks and fees that wipe out their margin ✅ The classic generic imatinib example: Cost Plus Drugs sells it for $25 a month, while the same drug billed through a traditional PBM channel has run $9,000 a month—a "discount" off a $27,000 branded Gleevec price that Mark Cuban calls discount theater ✅ How specialty tiers compound the problem: because generic imatinib gets classified on a specialty tier, patients can owe 25% coinsurance calculated off the inflated WAC price rather than the drug's real cost ✅ Why a "pass-through" PBM contract isn't simple math: Cora Opsahl explains that PBMs often reimburse pharmacies on an acquisition-cost-plus formula while billing employers a completely different AWP-minus formula for the same claim ✅ Why claims audits keep finding money owed back to the plan—and why employers are often restricted to auditing only a pre-approved sample of 250 claims ✅ Mark Cuban's advice for the next RFP: simply requiring that Cost Plus Drugs be included in the network is often enough on its own to get PBMs to offer better rebates and terms WHY THIS MATTERS As Stacey Richter puts it, where there's mystery, there's margin—and pharmacy pricing is thick with both. Generic compliance ratios, WAC-based specialty tiers, and pass-through contracts that pay pharmacies one number while billing employers another all point to the same underlying reality: so much of what gets called an expense in medicine is simply pricing failure. For plan sponsors and brokers heading into their next RFP, understanding these mechanics—rather than accepting a discount off an inflated reference price—is what it takes to move from passive price taker to informed decision maker. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE EP429 with Luke Slindee, PharmD: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Other Apps EP488 with Mark Cuban and Cora Opsahl: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Other Apps EP422 with Benjamin Jolley, PharmD: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Other Apps EP465 with Chris Crawford: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Other Apps EP486 with Stan Schwartz, MD: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Other Apps === LINKS ===

Our guest today, Mario Cartaya, was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1951. Eight years later, the turbulent winds of change forced his family to immigrate to the United States in search of a new life lived in freedom.  Fifty-six years later, Mario returned to Cuba in search of the long-forgotten memories of his childhood. Now a successful American architect, this once "unsung child" of the Cuban diaspora went back to face his old demons (who were no longer there) and to recall his earliest experiences. In Journey Back Into The Vault, Mario confronts the contents of the mental lockbox he had built to protect him from his challenging past. Mario's personal story is a universal one: how love and enlightenment can only begin with our search for self-actualization and peace of mind. LINKS  Please check out Mario's book, "Journey Back Into the Vault" right HERE. Also see his just-released new book, "Before the Revolution." HERE.

LOUNGE LIZARDS PRESENTED BY FABRICA5 - Brilliant Honduran Cigars - Visit Fabrica005.com and use code LIZARDPOD at checkout for 10% off THE ENTIRE STORE! Free worldwide shipping from Miami on all orders over $125. See website for more information and terms.SMALL BATCH CIGAR - SAVE 15% - Exclusive Cigar Retail Partner of the Lizards - Visit SmallBatchCigar.com and use code LIZARD15 for 15% off your order. Free shipping and 5% rewards back always. Standard exclusions apply. Simple. Fast. Small Batch Cigar.Recorded at Ten86 Cigars in Hawthorne, New Jersey, the Lizards pair the Arturo Fuente Añejo Reserva Xtra Viejo Limited #77 Shark with twelve years aged El Dorado rum. The guys go through the long history of Fuente's Anejo line, they detail the UK's proposed plain packaging law for cigars, and they share some big Bond Roberts auctions news.PLUS: Añejo NYC "For The Love of Agave" Event on Sept. 14, Lizard Surgeon on Clarifying Body/Flavor/Strength, Spain Wants to Ban Private Clubs, Tupperdors -> Humidors -> Dryboxing Process, New Quai d'Orsay Edición Limitada, Cigar Rotation Comforts, Listener on Why Men Are Dressing Poorly, Pagoda Talks Guyana, What Are Lizards Watching/Listening To? & MoreJoin the Lounge Lizards for a weekly discussion on all things cigars (both Cuban and non-Cuban), whiskey, food, travel, life and work. This is your formal invitation to join us in a relaxing discussion amongst friends and become a card-carrying Lounge Lizard yourself. This is not your typical cigar podcast. We're a group of friends who love sharing cigars, whiskey and a good laugh.website/merch/rating archive: loungelizardspod.comemail: hello@loungelizardspod.com to join the conversation and be featured on an upcoming episode!instagram: @loungelizardspodGizmo HQ: LizardGizmo.com

The crew kicks things off with the 100-inning softball game supporting the Burton family, where Rafe and Scott discover that 12 straight hours of softball is apparently something human beings willingly participate in. There were legitimate athletes, Chris Kerber brought the stories and good Blues energy, and Team Rizz did what Team Rizz does best: proudly represent athletic mediocrity while somebody else actually knows how to play the sport.Moon, meanwhile, spent his weekend in Los Angeles with Goldfinger for their biggest headlining show ever at the Hollywood Palladium. Between the packed hometown show, backstage chaos and trying to juggle approximately every person he has ever met in Southern California, Moon also wanders into Amoeba Music and suddenly finds himself standing next to Matt Berry. His carefully prepared celebrity interaction consists basically of realizing, “Holy crap, that's Matt Berry,” which honestly is probably better than anything the rest of us would've managed.Delays pile up, passengers get increasingly irritated, everyone lines up to board…and the entire plane waits for one missing flight attendant. When she finally arrives, Moon witnesses a level of leisurely strolling that probably should've been studied by scientists. Hundreds of angry passengers? Connecting flights on the line? Whatever. She had a walking speed and she was committed to it.Rizz heads the opposite direction for a father-son road trip to the University of Arkansas and finally experiences the roadside cathedral known as Buc-ee's. Unfortunately, he discovers that Buc-ee's contains one fatal flaw: other people. Lots and lots of other people. He battles the crowd, buys a Cuban sandwich that immediately disintegrates inside the car and ultimately reaches the devastating conclusion that Buc-ee's is basically a bigger Wally's. Somewhere, a beaver just felt a disturbance in the Force.So yes, this episode has softball, Chesterfield sociology, Goldfinger, Matt Berry, airport rage, Buc-ee's, college nostalgia and weather-induced emotional manipulation.The Grand Theft Auto 6 rumor mill is firing on all cylinders. Alleged leaks suggest GTA 6 could make players actually refuel their cars, because apparently escaping the cops and committing fictional felonies wasn't immersive enough. Now we may get the authentic experience of realizing the tank is on E at the absolute worst possible moment.Naturally, Jean-Claude Van Damme doing the splits leads Lern to ask questions about male anatomy that nobody was emotionally prepared to answer. Suddenly we're discussing whether men have a “seam,” whether God is responsible for said seam, and why absolutely none of this information was included in health class.From there, Crap on Celebrities turns surprisingly philosophical when Dr. Dre and Billy Corgan land on opposite sides of the AI music debate. This comedy podcast also gets into Bret Michaels recovering from kidney stone surgery while apparently refusing to surrender his hat under any circumstances, Kacey Musgraves performing while floating on giant disco-ball truck nuts, Dolly Parton exploring avatar performances, Bonnaroo taking a year off, and St. Louis artist Slater covering Hole's “Violet.”National Treasure 3 inches closer to becoming a real movie, and Hollywood is ready to cast King Scott in a major role.A guy scales the St. Louis Zoo big-cat enclosure, an alleged staged fender bender turns into an armed robbery and multiple police chases, and then we attempt to save everybody's relationships with the 777 Rule. Welcome to another comedy podcast where apparently the only thing separating civilization from complete chaos is a zoo fence and a shared Google Calendar. We get into a Florissant case where suspects allegedly rear-ended a Volvo to force the driver to stop, only for the situation to turn into an armed robbery, a fight, a stolen vehicle and multiple police pursuits. Somewhere along the way, the unnamed Volvo driver becomes “Johnny Volvo,” the suspects become the “Jeep Boys,” and this comedy podcast briefly transforms into the least legally sound self-defense seminar ever broadcast.That kicks off a surprisingly thoughtful debate about whether the 777 Rule is realistic, especially when listeners point out that dates, overnight stays and vacations cost money. The crew argues that the exact numbers and activities aren't really the point. Take a walk. Go for a drive. Pack a picnic. Hit a park. Complain together. Whatever works.Follow The Rizzuto Show → linktr.ee/rizzshow for more from your favorite daily comedy show.Connect with The Rizzuto Show Comedy Podcast online → 1057thepoint.com/RizzShow.Hear The Rizz Show daily on the radio at 105.7 The Point | Hubbard Radio in St. Louis, MO.Man climbs into Saint Louis Zoo big cat area, taken into custodyFlorissant man charged in attempted fender bender robberyWhat Is the 7-7-7 Relationship Rule? Experts Explain Why Couples Swear By ItSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Everybody had a weekend, and unfortunately for all of us, they came back with stories.The crew kicks things off with the 100-inning softball game supporting the Burton family, where Rafe and Scott discover that 12 straight hours of softball is apparently something human beings willingly participate in. There were legitimate athletes, Chris Kerber brought the stories and good Blues energy, and Team Rizz did what Team Rizz does best: proudly represent athletic mediocrity while somebody else actually knows how to play the sport.Then Rafe takes us inside an entirely different competitive environment: Topgolf in Chesterfield.He showed up in jeans, a T-shirt and cowboy boots while seemingly everyone else arrived looking like they had just finished a private lesson at Bellerive. The clubs are nicer. The outfits are tighter. The dads appear to work in numbers. And somewhere along the way, Rafe introduces the world to the “Chesterfield Nine,” which naturally sends the entire funny podcast into an extremely mature and thoughtful discussion about golf.Just kidding. It immediately falls apart.Moon, meanwhile, spent his weekend in Los Angeles with Goldfinger for their biggest headlining show ever at the Hollywood Palladium. Between the packed hometown show, backstage chaos and trying to juggle approximately every person he has ever met in Southern California, Moon also wanders into Amoeba Music and suddenly finds himself standing next to Matt Berry. His carefully prepared celebrity interaction consists basically of realizing, “Holy crap, that's Matt Berry,” which honestly is probably better than anything the rest of us would've managed.Then comes the flight home.Delays pile up, passengers get increasingly irritated, everyone lines up to board…and the entire plane waits for one missing flight attendant. When she finally arrives, Moon witnesses a level of leisurely strolling that probably should've been studied by scientists. Hundreds of angry passengers? Connecting flights on the line? Whatever. She had a walking speed and she was committed to it.At least the delays gave Moon time to catch up on movies, leading to reviews of Michael, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar and Tomb Raider. We also get Banana Ball confusion, because apparently baseball wasn't complicated enough and now fans can become part of the defense.Rizz heads the opposite direction for a father-son road trip to the University of Arkansas and finally experiences the roadside cathedral known as Buc-ee's. Unfortunately, he discovers that Buc-ee's contains one fatal flaw: other people. Lots and lots of other people. He battles the crowd, buys a Cuban sandwich that immediately disintegrates inside the car and ultimately reaches the devastating conclusion that Buc-ee's is basically a bigger Wally's. Somewhere, a beaver just felt a disturbance in the Force.The Arkansas trip also gives Rizz a glimpse of the college experience he never had, complete with a massive campus, tens of thousands of students and enough Walton branding to remind everyone exactly where they are.Then the show discovers “sunshine guilt” — that weird feeling that you're wasting your life because it's gorgeous outside and you dared to remain indoors. Finally, a funny podcast willing to defend your constitutional right to sit inside watching television while nature aggressively tries to shame you through the windows.Moon gets it. Rizz refuses to be bullied by sunshine. Lern is basically medically prescribed to go outside. And somehow chopping wood in a cowboy hat enters the conversation.So yes, this episode has softball, Chesterfield sociology, Goldfinger, Matt Berry, airport rage, Buc-ee's, college nostalgia and weather-induced emotional manipulation.Basically a normal Monday around here.If you're looking for a funny podcast packed with St. Louis stories, sarcastic humor, pop culture commentary, travel disasters and grown adults turning completely ordinary situations into unnecessary investigations, congratulations. You have unfortunately found us.Follow The Rizzuto Show → linktr.ee/rizzshow for more from your favorite daily comedy show.Connect with The Rizzuto Show Comedy Podcast online → 1057thepoint.com/RizzShow.Hear The Rizz Show daily on the radio at 105.7 The Point | Hubbard Radio in St. Louis, MO.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

https://youtu.be/B9j1nlRifHM Alex Fernandez, CEO of Synergy Orthopedic Specialists, is driven by a mission to help physicians Build a Multi-Site Medical Practice that creates wealth, equity, and independence beyond their personal labor. By bringing independent physicians together, building scalable organizations, and expanding access to integrated services, Alex helps doctors operate as entrepreneurs while delivering a more convenient and cost-effective patient experience. In this conversation, Alex introduces The Multi-Site Scaling Framework—Visualize Your Target EBITDA, Align With Your Partners, Remove Yourself From the Center, Build Systems, and Build Margin Around Your Core Business. He explains why starting with the desired enterprise value creates a clearer path for growth, why alignment must be a gate for every partnership or acquisition, and how strong systems allow a business to operate without depending on its founder. Alex also shares how vertical integration, company culture, geographic expansion, and AI-assisted processes can improve profitability while preserving independent medical care. — Build a Multi-Site Medical Practice with Alex Fernandez  Good day, dear listeners. Steve Preda here with the Management Blueprint Podcast, and welcome Alejandro “Alex” Fernandez, the CEO of Synergy Orthopedic Specialists, a team of surgeons and specialists that believes in providing patients with an integrated approach to musculoskeletal—I’m glad I could pronounce this—medical care through 15 locations throughout San Diego. Alex, welcome to the show.  Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, I appreciate that. I’ve enjoyed your show, and I’m happy to be here.  Well, I’m always interested when I meet with medical provider companies or CEOs who have been doctors, because I grew up in a family of two doctors, and so I was exposed to some of the challenges of being a doctor and running a hospital. So that’s going to be interesting. So my favorite question that I ask recently to all our founders is, what is your personal why, and how are you manifesting it in your practice and in your business?  Yeah, for sure. And so my why, as you put it, comes from where I started. I actually don’t come from a family of physicians. I started not where I ended up. I’m a son of Cuban immigrants. My parents fled Castro in the ’60s, and I was born in Puerto Rico. Later on, my family took a lot of our family in the Mariel boatlift in 1981 and took hundreds of people out of Cuba. But in reality, the concept or the reality is that my parents didn’t have a lot of money. They had some connections, but they believed that I should have a college education.  But I had to work my way through eight years of college to get my bachelor’s. So I landed in healthcare as an accident. It was a small medical practice. I was basically doing front desk and medical records, and then later on learned how to do the billing, all by hand at that time. There were no electronic medical records. And I started basically at the front desk, and I watched something that I never really forgot, which is, you have these brilliant physicians, people that can diagnose patients and help them and cure them, but when it came to business, they were never taught anything about business.  So this is where I believe I have generated value over the years: basically, built companies that actually create wealth, and the wealth for the physicians in particular.Share on X I think physicians are very entrepreneurial. At least that’s the idea to begin with, is, “I’m going to go into the practice of medicine and have my own business.” But somewhere along the line, the business becomes almost like an ATM machine. It’s no different than any other entrepreneur that starts a business. They are the business. Without them, if they go away for a couple of days, the business doesn’t make any money, and they don’t really know how to do that. So what I’ve done over the years is I have gotten smaller groups of physicians to come together, form larger organizations, larger groups, and eventually built larger private businesses that can have EBITDA, equity earnings that can basically provide some additional wealth.  Particularly, I try to help them think of themselves as capitalists, not as day laborers. Because in reality, in most businesses, and particularly physicians, they’re cranking the wheel, and the more they produce, the more they work, the more they earn. But in some cases, they don’t understand how to get away from that. How to earn from all the other things that they control. Because physicians do control 80% of the spend in healthcare but earn probably no more than 5% of it.  Wow. That is shocking. So they’re not using the leverage properly, probably.  Yeah. Sometimes they know it’s there, but physicians in general are risk-averse. Just starting their own business is hard enough. Then having to figure out how to capitalize from all the levers that they have, that’s completely different. And they’re no different than, I would say, lawyers or accountants that start a small business. At some point in time, you have to figure out, how do you make the business big enough that it operates and works without you?  Yeah, I love that. I love that. And what makes you feel strongly for physicians?  Well, particularly independent physicians, I think it’s a dying breed. Years ago, I would hear the stories of my parents where they’d say, “Hey, we took you to the pediatrician,” and my dad would be friends with the OB-GYN that took care of my mom and the pediatrician. And I remember them naming them by first name or even meeting them at the social club. But nowadays, it’s very transactional. It’s very fast. There’s no connection.  So I think that’s why there’s been this whole surgence of concierge physicians where you pay extra. Because in truth, in order to make a living, the business of healthcare is compressed by downward pressures from the government and from other institutions that say, “We’re going to pay you less, but you have to have a significant amount of compliance, and you have to spend more money on this, and you have to do that.” And then at the same time, the cost of living goes up.  The employees need to make more money. Your rent goes up. The supplies continue to increase. So you have the static or lower reimbursement from the different payers, whether it’s Medicare, the government, or private institutions, and then an increase of expenses happening. That’s very strange to any business. In any other business, you say, “Well, if my costs go up, I increase my prices, and then maybe my margins are a little bit less, but I still have a significant margin.” In healthcare, you almost have to just work more in order to generate more revenue, and the expenses hopefully will increment a little bit more, but your earnings will be the same or less. So it’s a very tough situation for an independent physician.  That’s why more and more, especially physicians coming out of training, look for jobs with health systems, with the Kaisers of the world or the different large institutions in the United States, so that way they can go ahead and just go to work and take care of patients and not worry about the business of healthcare.  Yeah. But then these big hospitals turn into bureaucracies, and then they still have to worry about that in a different way.  And that’s personally the second part to that question you asked me. That’s why I like working with physicians and not necessarily with health systems. I’ve never held a job with a hospital. Not that I haven’t wanted to. It’s just, I think the nature of the bureaucracy of a health system creates some things that I’m not personally interested in.  Yeah. Well, I can see that. So Alex, this is a podcast of frameworks, as you know. So what’s a framework that has helped you build your business, maybe generate an insight, understand situations, maybe influence these physicians to come together in your roll-ups? Whatever framework you developed, could you share something with our listeners?  Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Most owners in a business—and I’ll talk in generic terms. I’ll try to make sure I don’t use any slang for healthcare—but most businesses build their business for income. They want to make income for their families, for themselves. They want to be able to take care of the people that they’re with. But they don’t really think about it from a perspective of, “Let me build a business that can multiply.” Maybe they want to, but in a lot of areas, it’s just hard for them.  I actually grew up in the bridal business. My parents had bridal stores. They basically did wedding packages, and that’s the business that I grew up in. Every summer, I would go and do the cash register or help rent tuxedos and things like that, or do filing and bookkeeping. So that’s where my entrepreneurial spirit comes from. It’s my parents. But I always saw them where maybe they built one or a couple stores, two, three stores, and they would kind of stop there. But I think I learned a lot from my dad in particular around multi-site operations in a retail industry, and I took that back into the healthcare business.  So one of the first things I think that a business owner has to do is they have to underwrite their own exit first.Share on X They have to think of growth and particularly of the value of the business if they were ever going to sell it. Figure out what your EBITDA or enterprise value is going to be, and then go from there. Then make the alignments first, but don’t make it the goal. Most people chase the volume, the customers, more locations, more deals, spend years fixing what they bolted on in order to flip it, but they don’t really take the time to align it. So I think the client, the partnership, the acquisition—you have to figure all that out at the beginning and then fix it later.  If I run into an acquisition that we’re looking at, and I don’t see the alignment from whoever I’m going to partner up with, I know it’s going to be a deal that’s going to go bad eventually. We all have to be thinking the same way. Then the other thing, like I already mentioned this a couple of times, but you have to take yourself out of the center. If you’re the CEO, you’re the business owner, and the business depends on you—you can’t go on your two- or three-week vacation to Europe or wherever you want to go, and when you come back, the business is in disarray or didn’t survive—you don’t really have a business.  You just have a job that costs you a lot of money to maintain. I think that’s where operating systems earn their keep. I haven’t really run the EOS program, but I’ve read the book, and I really like the idea of the scorecards, and I used it particularly when I came to this opportunity in San Diego. Getting everybody to row in the same direction. A business that runs with a founder and a single thing, it’s one that won’t get very far.  But on the other hand, if the founder figures out a way to build systems around them and bring in the right people, that’s going to make the business way more successful. And the last one I would say is own the margin around your core. Don’t just sell the core service. Figure out what else you have. And I think in healthcare in particular, I was mentioning this: doctors control a significant amount of what happens to a patient, but they don’t figure out ways to vertically integrate the business to have access or have the opportunity to earn some revenue and some earnings from the actual business they refer to.  So what I’ve done over the years, particularly in gastroenterology, I grew a medical practice of gastroenterologists. A couple of them came together, and it was around 50 million in revenue when I came in. And one of the first things I started doing was figuring out, how do we add, let’s say, imaging services? So we added CT. How do we add infusion services? Because back then, there were some significant drugs that were coming into market around infusion. But later on, we said, “Hey, we have an investment in an ASC, but why don’t we do the investment so the investment’s part of the group? So all the doctors can benefit from that.  And when we actually equitize the business in the future, that could be part of our exit if there’s equity there.” And then the next question was, “Well, why don’t we sell the prep that we give people before they get the colonoscopy?” So we got licensing around pharmacy, and then we said, “Well, what about anesthesia? What about pathology?” And so on and so on. So when I went to New York City and I ran a dermatology group, we built a path lab for the derms. When I came here to the orthopedic group, we had PT locations, expanded to multiple PT locations, improved the contracts around durable medical equipment, the bracing, even added anesthesia and started our own ambulatory surgical center.  So always trying to figure out, how can you vertically integrate the business to try to capture as much as you can from the client that’s in front of you? Not only just from a money perspective, but also from an experience perspective, being able to provide it all under one roof and being able to give the patient, the customer, a great experience. You want to provide outstanding medical care. Quality medical care is kind of like a base. If you go to a doctor, you expect to get better. But what we see in healthcare a lot is that people don’t think about it.  Like, in our offices, we say, “Thank you for choosing Synergy Orthopedics.” We know patients have a choice, so we have to develop a model that allows the patient to say, “Hey, I want to go here because these guys have it all under one roof.” But more importantly, that’s typically what the hospitals have. But hospitals charge for the same thing I provide two and three times more because they have a different type of leverage with the contracts. So I always say, “Why did the duck cross the road? Oh, because they went from the hospital to the ambulatory surgical center to get a colonoscopy to save 700 bucks.” I mean, it’s literally that simple.  And I don’t think patients in general know that, but I think the doctors have a great opportunity to control the delivery system, provide a great experience for the patients, and at the same time, make some money from things that they don’t physically have to do. They can hire the physical therapist, et cetera.  Yeah. Okay, so that’s great. So what I’m hearing, the framework is: think of growth first—what’s the EBITDA you want? Then create alignment, take yourself out of the center, build systems, and build margin around your core business. So that’s wonderful. Now, step two, I’m not 100% clear on. So you said make alignment with partners, but don’t make it the goal. What do you mean by that?  Well, because particularly I’ve been involved in private equity medical groups. So with private equity, you have cash, you have leverage, so you can go and buy, buy, buy, buy. In private equity, to a degree, they want growth. But I’ve been in deals where the thesis was, for example, we’re all going to be rowing in the same direction with the same flag, same brand, and we’re going to transfer from having—there were four medical groups, so four different, distinct medical groups—and we’re putting them together under what’s called a management services organization, a management company, and basically form one larger group.  But that was never aligned because the doctors, in their head, said, “You’re acquiring me, so you’re buying this magnificent, outstanding business. Now why do you want to change my electronic medical records? Why do you want to change the way we do our, let’s say, revenue cycle management or billing? Why do you want to change our brand? Our brand’s fantastic.” Even though they were all called Dermatology blah, blah, blah, something and something. So you have to make sure that the people that you’re going to bring on board, whether it’s through acquisition, merger, or just employment, that they really believe in your story, that they believe in the core vision of the business.  Not just try to put people in there and make more deals, get more locations, spend more years, and then you put all these things together and you bolt them up, but you spend more time trying to fix it. In my Gastro Health and in the ortho business, we always started with, “Let’s make sure we have our house in order before we go out and start growing the organization and adding more to what we have.” The last thing you want to do is add more and then find out that you have to spend more time fixing it.  No, that makes sense. But then you qualified it. You said, “Don’t make it the goal. Don’t make alignment the goal.” So how does it become the goal? What’s the risk there?  So no, make it the gate, not the goal. Meaning, alignment is extremely important, but you want the alignment to be the one thing that puts you together. But at the end, everybody has to be buying into the idea. It’s not the only goal. Their goal is also money. The goal is growth. But it has to be one of the key things. In healthcare, I tend to think, and particularly with private equity, that’s not perceived. It’s more about getting deals done.  Yeah. They don’t care about the mission. They don’t care about the vision, the alignment.  I think they do. In their thesis, they do, and they want it. But it’s kind of like, at the end, you’re looking at this business. They want to sell, you want to buy, you have money, they want money, and sometimes it’s just easier to say, “Well, we can grow from $30 million to $60 million, from $10 million of EBITDA to $20 million of EBITDA. We’re going to get, instead of a 10 multiple, we’re going to get a 15 multiple.”  So sometimes that gets in the way. And I would say, by the way, I worked with great and fantastic private equity firms, so I’m not saying they all think that way. But for sure, the perception is that they’re going to go in and try to make deals happen because they do have an end goal. Their end goal is to their investors that gave them funds, that they told them they were going to get them a four-, five-, seven-times multiple on their investment.  So in your own business, Synergy Orthopedic Specialists, is this a private equity-funded business or is it bootstrapped?  No. No, it’s bootstrapped. The physicians, when I came on board—at that time, I started with them six years ago in 2020, and the market was really hot still, ’21, ’22, ’23, and then the interest rates went up, and then things have softened. I think also they got softened for what we’ve been discussing earlier. There’s been a lot of deals that have been done where acquisitions were done in multiple states. There’s not a lot of synergy or a lot of things that were worked out to try to make sure that the organization was working together, the multiple organizations that were acquired.  And the idea was, if we buy four million-dollar businesses, they will be, instead of an eight-times multiple, they’ll be a 10- or 12-times multiple. So I think there’s a lot of deals that are stuck in the marketplace right now, and the groups are trying to figure out how to evolve the organization after five, six, seven years from, “Hey, we let you alone. We let you be. But now we need to start integrating. Now we have to start building an enterprise. Now we have to start building a real platform.” And I think that the organizations that did that earlier have been able to exit and done a much better multiple and growth.  And also the key is, in these transactions where people get together, a lot of times it’s all about the fun. “Hey, we go out to dinner, and everybody’s well, and everybody’s happy, and how much money we’re going to make,” and blah, blah. But nobody really asks the tough questions, or some people do because they actually don’t want the deals to get done. But I think it comes from the buyer. The buyer needs to be very upfront with what they want to accomplish with a transaction, whether, again, a merger or an acquisition.  You want to make sure that you’re extremely transparent about what the end goal is going to be. And if the end goal is like, “Hey, I’m going to leave you alone for a year, but in a year and one day, your name’s going to change, your software’s going to change, your HR is going to change. And by that time, we’ll figure out about your staff, and we might probably cut 25% of your staff because you’re bloated, and we actually have to make you a little bit more fit and trim so you can actually be able to grow and provide better care to your patients.”  So what I’m seeing is, it’s quite impressive. You have 15 locations, you have a huge service mix. You have, compared to the number of locations and service mix, a limited number of people. So how do you maintain the Synergy standard? And how do you manage this complexity with such low—low per— It took— How many people?  Yeah, it’s—right. Yeah, I agree. It’s taken some time. Again, I wouldn’t say that it’s perfect. We’re always evolving, changing. I mean, I always say the only constant thing in healthcare is change. But it started with the company culture. When I first got here, there were four or five organizations that came together, and they were still using their old names. Synergy Orthopedics was like this little kind of byline under their business cards. It wasn’t really the brand.  And then over time, we got people in the organization rowing in the same direction, using the same flag, and over time we started to dominate the market. We started to be perceived, and we are today, the largest independent medical orthopedic group in San Diego. So when people think of MSK, we take care of the hockey team, we take care of the soccer team, we take care of professional players. The larger organizations reach out to us about developing contracts, direct contracts to provide services to them.  So that took a long time, but it started with building that company culture. And along the way, some people left. Some people just didn’t fit what we were trying to build. And it wasn’t just me. I didn’t do this by myself, of course. The reality was we built a team around what we were trying to create. Physicians, in this case, are the leaders. Physician leadership was there, and this is what they wanted as well. So I think, yes, when we’re now in other counties we’re in Riverside County, so we’re north of San Diego. We’re all the way to Palm Desert and looking to grow into Orange County and L.A. County eventually.  So the goal is also in growth, and size allows leverage and negotiation power with the different payers. And that’s very different than in other industries where you have a payer, let’s say Blue Shield or Anthem or United, that kind of controls how you’re going to provide service, how much they’re going to pay you, et cetera, et cetera. So the only way to really have any type of seat at the table is that your organization has to be large enough and a market leader and basically be something, or an organization, that they can’t say no to, that they want to have in their network. So that’s how we’ve been able to do this over the last five, six years now.  So what drives the growth? Is it the acquisitions? Is it geographic expansion? Is it payers refer business? What’s the driver?  All of it. You have to do everything. It’s like that movie, Everything Everywhere All at Once. It’s like you have to do everything. We started by first creating the brand and the company culture, expanding that brand and company culture by figuring out who having the right seats on the bus, making sure the right people that wanted to be with us were there. And then we said, “Okay, we don’t have a spine program. Let’s figure out how we recruit a spine doctor. Let’s figure out how we recruit a pain doctor.  Let’s get a foot and ankle specialist because we don’t have one. Let’s expand our sports medicine program.” So we took over a fellowship training program in San Diego that was probably going to expire, and then we took it over and continued the legacy of the physician that started it from the beginning. We’ve done some mergers. We’ve done some acquisitions. We’ve done some new locations. We’ve expanded our physical therapy footprint. We built out an ambulatory surgical center. That was a big endeavor. These things cost millions and millions of dollars. Just in construction alone, it was like $600… I think our overall investment’s somewhere around $12, $15 million, so highly leveraged. We brought in a partner, a national partner, to help us run and fund the enterprise.  We started an anesthesia division. So I would say you have to do everything, and all of it together, as time goes by, creates that vision. As long as you have the vision, like I said, the beginning thing is you have to start with the end goal. And the end goal is we want to build a business that’s independent. That’s our goal. We don’t want to be sold or be part of the hospital system. So you have to build the end goal, work through the process, grow it, and do all the things at the same time, which is extremely hard, I would say.  Yeah. This is fascinating. So you have a lot of complexity. You have a lot of locations, a lot of services, 50 providers. I mean, sometimes doctors can be cats, hard to manage them. Eagles, eagles. I always say, try to get eagles to fly in a straight line. Impossible. Yeah.  But if you had a magic wand and you could fix one thing in your business in the next 12 months, what would it be?  I will be honest, it’s expenses. Expenses can and I’ve talked about this before the pressures in the healthcare industry really are driven around expenses. We just got an increase in minimum wage in healthcare, specifically in California, where a physician practice now has to pay $23 an hour for a minimum-wage job, where minimum wage is almost half of that if you’re in any other industry. So I think everybody should make more than $23, particularly in San Diego. It’s a very expensive place to live.  But I think it’s more around the pressures that are put on the industry, but the levers are not there to increase revenue to be able to support or subsidize those expenses. So, for all intents and purposes, we’re looking at how we increase revenue by keeping expenses the same, or fixed, or a little bit higher than what they are, by augmenting with AI, like every other industry is doing. Figuring out whether it’s using AI in your MRI to be able to process the imaging faster, clearer, better, and be able to add three or four more patients a day. That profit goes straight to the bottom line.  It might be before we had people that are scribes that basically did the documentation of the history, the notes, and the medical records. Now doctors are using—well, they’ve been using voice recognition for a while—but now you’re doing ambient AI, where basically it’s listening to the conversation with the patient, of course with the patient’s approval, and being able to document all that information into the record much faster, quicker, better, and more precise. And so on. Answering the phones, being able to—when the patient gets statements, we typically send out statements every two weeks.  But when we send them, we send thousands of statements, so we get thousands of phone calls. You can’t get all those phone calls when somebody says, “I owe $50, and I don’t know why,” and being able to have an AI that tells you, “The $50 is because you had a copayment or you had a deductible, and it’s due to your insurance program with whatever the insurance is.” And they’re like, “Oh, okay.” “You want to pay that right now?” “Yes.” It sends you a text to your phone, qualifies who you are, you click on it, you put your payment information. The information goes in, the payment gets posted. Nobody got involved. AI took care of the whole process. So we’re trying to figure out how to assist the staff without having to let go. At least my intent is not to let go of people.  My intent is to try to make sure that we do the best job possible and use AI to augment the process, not to replace the staff. I get very worried, in general, about what’s going on with AI as an industry, where people are saying, “Well, I use it as my assistant. I use it as this.” Well, I started at the front desk. If there are no front desk jobs, how could I have been CEO of this multimillion-dollar organization if I didn’t get a foot in the door to begin with? So I feel very worried for my kids that are growing up. One’s studying to be a psychologist, the other one’s in marketing. How are they going to learn and grow in an industry or a business if they can’t get their foot in the door?  Yeah. That is a concern. I don’t know if we can fix it, but I’m worried about it too. So Alex, who would you like to listen to this podcast and to take action? And what kind of action should they take?  Well, I think it’s generic. I always say, I have an MBA in healthcare administration, but I could have gone and done any type of business. Like I said to you, I grew up in the retail industry. So I think it’s more around, if you’re an entrepreneur and you have talent and you’ve worked really hard at doing something, you have to figure out how to hire the right people so that they can do a job that maybe you don’t know how to do, how to scale up a business by investing in it, making sure you don’t look at your business as an ATM machine or a salary that pays you every week or every period of time, but look at it as you’re an entrepreneur, a capitalist.  You’re building an organization. You’re providing jobs for people. But at the end, the business has to give you more than your salary. There has to be equity in the enterprise, and that’s the money you’ll be able to use to maybe have leverage or to use in order to add that next location or look at what’s the next opportunity, whether you’re, again, a doctor or you’re running a retail organization that wants to have multiple locations. The key is, think of the end goal. And the end goal, not necessarily that you’re going to sell, but what is it going to be? What is the business that you want to have valued at, and how have they grown?  Look and listen to other people like yourself, Steve, and all the different things that you do in regard to building that journey of the business, and figure out how to take the next step and the next step and the next step. It doesn’t happen overnight. You don’t get from a $50 million company to a $150 million company. It took me seven years to get there. But it’s done by augmenting and adding features and adding services, but doing it very intelligently, thinking it through, not just adding it for the sake of adding it, then, like I said before, having to bolt it on and try to fix more of the problems, creating more problems.  No. Fix your house, figure out where you’re at, make sure it’s earning equity. Maybe you have to reprice. Maybe you have to figure out how the business needs to run a little bit nimbler. Maybe you have to use technology, whether it’s AI answering the phone because you’re the guy that—you have a pizza shop. Why do you have to have people answering? Have the AI take the order, have the AI tell people to go to the website, and so on, so you can have pizzas going out of your store every five minutes. So for sure, there are great opportunities. And if you’re a business owner, I want you to think that you can. It’s not impossible. It can be done. You don’t need an MBA. You just need to work hard and think it through and come up with a business plan and an idea on how you want to get there.  Yeah. Well, this is very inspiring. So if you are a founder, you’re running a business, or you’re about to start a business, look at what Alex has done. He was a son of Cuban immigrants, came to this country, built from nothing a 15-location, 50-provider medical group, and works with private equity, advises companies as well. Follow his example.  So Alex Fernandez, thank you for sharing your wisdom on the show. And if you’re listening and you enjoyed this conversation, stay tuned because I have a couple of exciting entrepreneurs every week who come on the show and share their secrets and frameworks with you. So thanks for coming, Alex, and thank you for listening. Important Links: Alex's LinkedIn Alex's website

A brumous Florida evening links the present to the past.Entre olas y memorias. Una velada bruma en Florida vincula el presente con el pasado... #cubanstoriesonthegreenplantain #susanasbooks#cubanosporelmundo#TheGreenPlantainpodcast #TheCubanStoriesProjectpodcast#Cubanstories #cubanosporelmundo #cubanosesnespaña#cubanstoriesonthegreenplantainpodcast #untostonanyone   #Vivenciascubanas #cubanosenUSA #CubanStories#cubanfamilyroots#lmemoriesacrossgenerations #cubanstoriesonthegreenplantainpodcast#susanajiménez-mueller#ownvoice❤️ #cubanosenTampabay#cubanosentampa

WE'RE BACK.After four months away from the podcast — and our first episode together since January — *Lais and The Coach* is officially back for Episode 10 of 2026.And this isn't just a catch-up episode.This is the beginning of the *NXT LVL of the show.*In this episode, we talk about where we've been, why Miami has reignited something in us, what Team NXT LVL actually means today, and why we're more committed than ever to helping people experience a serious physical transformation *without having to stop living their lives to do it.*We get into:• Why Lais is documenting every single day of her road to *WBFF Atlantic City*• What we're doing differently for her 12th show• Why contest prep does NOT have to mean living like a monk• Eating out, Cuban toast, ice cream, travel, family life and still making progress• Why most people misunderstand what “discipline” actually looks like• The difference between restriction and being meticulous• Why consistency matters more than constantly changing the plan• What real coaching looks like beyond handing someone a meal plan and workout• Why we created *2688 — our 16-Week Body & Lifestyle Transformation*• Building a physique that doesn't just look great — but is strong, mobile, athletic and functional• Rafael's *50 Weeks to 50* journey and why getting older doesn't mean becoming less capable• Why there is ALWAYS another level• Why investing in yourself isn't selfish• And why we want YOU to become part of this show instead of simply watching itOne of the biggest ideas in this episode:**The destination isn't the transformation.The process is.**The stage.The photoshoot.The number on the scale.Those can be incredible moments.But who you become during the weeks and months required to get there?That's the part that can change everything.And that's what we want this next season of *Lais and The Coach* to document.We also want this show to become more interactive.Ask questions.Leave comments.Disagree with us.Tell us what you're working toward.Tell us what you want us to discuss.Tell us who you think should sit down with us.We're going to start pulling questions and conversations directly from this community — and some of these episodes may even happen *with you sitting in the room with us.*There are enough bots talking to bots online.We want real people talking to real people.

What's up, everybody? It's Tom Bilyeu here:Want my help starting a business? Join me here inside Zero To FounderSign up for my AI Masterclass: AI MasterclassFOLLOW TOM:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tombilyeu/Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tombilyeu?lang=enTwitter: https://twitter.com/tombilyeuYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TomBilyeuQuince: Free shipping and 365-day returns at https://quince.com/impactpodWhatnot: Download the Whatnot app today and get free shipping on your first order.Quo: Try for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 months at https://quo.com/impactIncogni: Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code IMPACT at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/impact Pique: 20% off at https://piquelife.com/impactShopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://shopify.com/impactSurfshark: Go to https://surfshark.com/TOMB or use code TOMB at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark! ATT Business: Switch to AT&T Business at business.att.comKetone IQ: Visit https://ketone.com/IMPACT for 30% OFF your subscription orderNetsuite: For the first time ever you can try NetSuite Next for free. If your revenues are at least in the seven figures, go to https://NetSuite.ai/Theory.The team breaks down the viral $300,000 debate between Candace Owens and Andrew Wilson—and argues it was a case study in everything wrong with online debating. The host's core point: the two were trying to litigate a criminal case whose facts haven't been established in court, arguing "internal frame versus internal frame," which inevitably devolves into madness when those frames don't intersect. He's pointed that this isn't about who's likable—he argues Wilson walked in as a "frame of reference" debater whose bully-the-room tactics collapsed against someone prepared, and that Wilson couldn't name the actual charges in the case while Candace could, making him look like he wasn't arguing from real command of the facts. On Candace, the host makes a deliberately careful epistemics argument: whatever you think of her conclusions, treating "she's obviously wrong" as self-evident is itself a frame-of-reference trap—because the facts of the trial (Tyler Robinson has not yet entered a plea, and the case hasn't been argued) simply aren't out yet, so neither side can claim proof. He predicts how the trial may play out and why the defense's choices about which evidence to use will be the real tell, while stressing repeatedly that he's speculating and that the honest position right now is "we don't know." Ryan and the team push on where the line sits between healthy skepticism and conspiratorial thinking, and the group lands on a shared lesson: don't get pulled into a debate when there's no agreed framework for adjudicating it, and wait for the facts before declaring a winner.The team breaks down the public exchange between Rep. Ro Khanna, who argues America must tax wealth and redistribute from billionaires, and Mark Cuban, who pushes back that "ideology is not a strategy." The host agrees with the diagnosis but not the cure: he concedes that people genuinely feel the system isn't working for them—and that they're right, pointing to the college-debt pipeline, an abusive housing market, and currency inflation eroding savings—but argues that taxing wealth misidentifies the solution. Walking through Cuban's argument, he explains the mechanics most people miss: founders of $10B "deca-unicorns" are typically cash-poor and stock-rich, worth billions on paper while the raised money goes into the company, not their pockets—so a wealth tax forces them to sell or borrow against speculative shares, which is often impossible and destructive to the company itself. He highlights Cuban's warning that a California wealth tax (Prop 40) would simply push investors to require startups to relocate to Texas, Indiana, or Florida first—meaning the state loses deca-unicorns it never even sees leave—and that "when you tax something, you get less of it." He connects it to his recurring critique of Bernie Sanders' framing: even if the revenue estimate were real (roughly $20B/year against a ~$30B Medicaid funding gap), you can only spend it once, and the act of liquidating shares to collect it would be self-defeating. The host's alternative is structural: get money out of politics, be fiscally disciplined, rebuild real manufacturing to take on China, stop funneling everyone into debt-financed college, let students discharge that debt in bankruptcy to force lending discipline, and stop suppressing wages with low-wage immigration so the true price of labor is revealed. Tom, Drew, and Ryan dig into a Census Bureau data effort that cross-referenced 2020 voter records against federal citizenship files—and end up in a genuine, three-way disagreement about what it means. Tom plants a strong flag: he believes there is significant voter fraud that will be revealed as more data is processed, arguing from "first principles" that where you have access plus incentive and no safeguard, abuse will follow, and that election integrity is worth shoring up even before there's overwhelming evidence. Drew and Ryan push back as the fact-checkers in the room: Drew stresses that the reported ~24,000 figure comes from a partial, unprocessed run and, crucially, that "non-citizen" includes lawful permanent residents (green-card holders) who aren't the same as people who crossed illegally—so the headline shouldn't be read as proof of illegal-alien ballot harvesting. Ryan fact-checks the specifics in real time: how Social Security numbers actually work for non-citizens (work authorizations, ITINs, fraudulent documents, expired visas), what California's voter-verification process actually requires (signature matching, with a first-time-voter ID exception under federal HAVA law), and the point that documented voter fraud in the US has consistently been shown to be well under 1%. The group works through California's and Minnesota's differing rules, whether signature-matching and vouching systems are genuinely exploitable, and lands on a striking meta-point: three people looking at the exact same facts arrive at very different conclusions, which is itself a lesson in how much of what we call "fact" is filtered through perception. A substantive, disagreement-driven look at election-integrity claims—with the receipts checked on air.ggSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Proletarian TV | 15 August 2026 General secretary of the CPGB-ML Ranjeet Brar brings a message of Greeting from Havana, Cuba on the 100th anniversary of the birth of Fidel Castro. The people of Cuba continue to resist the genocidal blockade, in place continuously and illegally since the Cuban missile crisis of 1962! Though Trump has tightened it and is attempting to starve and strangle the Cuban people - just as they are committing genocide with Britain and Israel in Palestine and across the middle east - their socialist system and resolve to remain independent, dignified and free makes them indomitable! We must support our Cuban brothers and sisters and demand an end to the criminal blockade! In Britain, as freedom of speech and political action is curtailed, we must fight the legal battle against the IHRA, that seeks to make all criticism of Britain's genocidal and aggressive foreign policy illegal, and this allow British workers the freedom to prevent or “Labour” government driving our nation towards world war. https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/legal-challenge-against-the-ih/ to support the legal campaign. Reach out and get involved! ---------------------------------------------- Subscribe! Donate! Join us in building a bright future for humanity! www.thecommunists.org www.lalkar.org www.redyouth.org Telegram: t.me/thecommunists Twitter: twitter.com/cpgbml Soundcloud: @proletarianradio Rumble: rumble.com/c/theCommunists Odysee: odysee.com/@proletariantv:2 Facebook: www.facebook.com/cpgbml Online Shop: https://shop.thecommunists.org/ Education Program: https://thecommunists.org/education-programme/ Each one teach one! www.londonworker.org/education-programme/ Join the struggle www.thecommunists.org/join/ Donate: www.thecommunists.org/donate/

Scott-Free August continues, and Kara sits down with Mark Cuban — entrepreneur and co-founder of Cost Plus Drugs. They dig into why prescription drug prices are finally falling, Cuban's war with the healthcare industry, and Costco's surprising Medicare play. Then: why Cuban thinks chips are the new crypto, and California's controversial billionaire tax. Plus — will Cuban actually run for president? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Erick Erickson plays the moment CNN's Boris Sanchez confronts Democratic Socialists of America co-chair Ashik Siddiqui over the DSA celebrating Fidel Castro, telling him on live television that his own grandfather fought in the Cuban revolution and was then locked up by Castro for 20 years for speaking his mind. He stacks it with Abdul […]

While we often like to think we're in control of our own lives, both of our storytellers learn that some things remain beyond our grasp, no matter how hard we try to steer the outcome.Part 1: After years of helping others safely navigate glaciers, Monte Montepare suddenly finds himself at the mercy of one. Part 2: Jessica Lee Williamson's OCD fixates on a single question: how will she die?Monte is a comedian, storyteller and adventure guide originally from Colorado. He's been Keynote Speaker at The Ouray Ice Festival, is on the cover of The Alaska Packraft Guidebook, and is part owner of Kennicott Wilderness Guides in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska (all real things and places). Monte is a Moth GrandSLAM Champion, has been featured on The Moth Radio Hour and has a story published in The Moth's most recent book "A Point of Beauty: True Stories of Holding on and Letting Go." He lives in a little house on a hill with his partner Jillian, their kiddo Rocky and chiweenie Sage. Jessica Lee Williamson is a Los Angeles based television writer and comedian known for her work on I'm Dying Up Here, F is for Family, and The Big Leap. A first-generation American, she was raised by her Cuban mother in a small town on Maryland's Eastern Shore. After moving out west, Jessica graduated from The Second City Conservatory. In addition to developing shows for Netflix, F/X, and Amazon, her stories have been featured on This American Life, The Moth Radio Hour, and Lena Dunham's Women of the Hour.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joel Gandara fled Cuba on an overcrowded boat at age 4, grew up in poverty, and built and sold a multi-million-dollar men's apparel company — without ever having a master plan. He joins Ted Phaeton on The Modern Man Podcast to unpack the arc, the tactics, and the brotherhood he now runs for men who want more.   Joel is a Cuban refugee, a former apparel entrepreneur (he acquired 13 of 14 businesses that weren't publicly for sale — using handwritten notes as the opening move), and the founder of 31 Daily Challenges and The Brotherhood — an invitation-only community of 119 men across the country who meet the standard through his 31-day challenge process. His wife runs the equivalent for women.   In this conversation: the Garbage Pail Kids origin story (fourth-grade entrepreneur, out of necessity), why he never had a master plan and figured everything out along the way, the $160K cash-withdrawal moment that shifted his identity, why 100% of his risks got green-lit by his wife (and the exit-plan discipline that earned that trust), the organize-organize-organize principle that made his apparel company sale-ready without a scramble, the handwritten-note tactic that led to 13 acquisitions, the Brotherhood model (invitation-only, intentionally slow-growth, 2–5 new invites per class), why the lone wolf is losing more than he thinks, how to vet mentors ("how are they living, not what they show"), the anti-vanity discipline ($49 Timex, no mortgage, used truck bought cash — the more things you own, the more things break), and the line every married man should stitch on his wall: pick the damn place. Chapters: 00:00 If It Was All You Knew 02:33 Growing Up in Poverty 04:50 The Garbage Pail Kids Hustle 07:21 Building a Multi-Million-Dollar Business 10:36 The $160K Identity Shift 12:57 The Midas-Touch Trap 13:22 Risk & Marriage 16:22 Organize Your Business 19:24 From Business to Brotherhood 22:40 Accountability & Brotherhood 27:31 The Lone Wolf 30:18 Choosing the Right Mentors 33:04 Success Without the Vanity 36:05 The 31-Day Challenge 39:05 The Handwritten Note 41:05 Face Your Fears 41:27 Be the Man 43:28 She's Not a Mind Reader 44:21 The Bigger Vision 46:53 Failure as a Gift 48:35 Ted's Recap Community: The Brotherhood (invitation-only, after the 31-day challenge)

The Morning XTRA with Tug and Los delivers conservative talk on the biggest political, cultural, and news stories of the day. Smart analysis, unapologetic opinions, and real conversations every weekday morning. Every weekday from 6a to 10a! Victor Armendariz fills in for Tug! The 8 o'clock hour is brought to you by Central Heating & Air, your Atlanta Carrier Experts. 770-GET-HEAT, Centralheat.com Dr. Rich McCormick joins the show Count the Cuban Community out on the DSA Milton Friedman urged America to maintain its role as the world’s leader in free trade Watch The Morning XTRA every weekday from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on the Xtra 106.3 YouTube or listen on the Xtra 106.3 App

The Morning XTRA with Tug and Los delivers conservative talk on the biggest political, cultural, and news stories of the day. Smart analysis, unapologetic opinions, and real conversations every weekday morning. Every weekday from 6a to 10a! On Today's Show, with Tug still out on vacation, Victor Armendariz joins Los in the studio to take on the biggest political and cultural stories of the day. The guys kick things off by welcoming Victor and discussing government education, along with why Sean Duffy and Los see eye-to-eye on sending their kids to Ivy League schools. They dive into America's long history with oil, claims about more than 24,000 illegal voters in the 2020 election, and the difference between the radicals on the left and the “wackos” on the right. Dr. Rich McCormick joins the show, the Cuban community gets counted out of the DSA, and the guys revisit Milton Friedman's argument for America maintaining its role as the world's leader in free trade. Plus, they react to the outpouring of support for Lindsay Clancy, explain why they think El-Sayed is toast in Michigan, and continue the conversation on healthcare for all. Watch The Morning XTRA every weekday from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on the Xtra 106.3 YouTube or listen on the Xtra 106.3 App

Bo Snerdley's Rush Hour is a fast-paced daily talk radio podcast covering the biggest political stories of the day. Designed for listeners on the go, each episode delivers sharp analysis, timely updates, and engaging commentary on the headlines shaping the national conversation.

Bo Snerdley's Rush Hour is a fast-paced daily talk radio podcast covering the biggest political stories of the day. Designed for listeners on the go, each episode delivers sharp analysis, timely updates, and engaging commentary on the headlines shaping the national conversation.

Jeremie was just looking into the history of performance-enhancing drugs when he accidentally stumbled into the absolute dumpster fire that was the 1904 St. Louis Olympic Marathon. What follows is arguably the most chaotic, medically irresponsible, and unhinged sporting event ever recorded. Between a racist organizer conducting forced dehydration experiments, clouds of dust causing internal hemorrhaging, a Cuban mailman who took a mid-race nap after eating rotten apples, and a guy who "won" gold after taking a cocktail of rat poison, raw egg whites, and French brandy - only 14 out of 32 runners made it to the finish line alive. Grab a drink (preferably water, not strychnine) and join Jeremie, Brian, and Taylor as they break down how human survival accidentally became an Olympic sport. Follow Sickboy: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sickboypodcastTiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sickboypodcastDiscord: https://discord.gg/expeUDN

Peter Schweizer and Eric Eggers track three fronts in China's campaign against American immigration controls, and the officials in Washington who look away. Trump signed two executive orders on August 6, narrowing his birthright citizenship push to birth tourism and surrogacy. Five days later the same coalition from Barbara v. Trump went back to the same judge for a restraining order. Brett Kavanaugh already signaled a pathway for limiting 14th Amendment abuse, so the left should not assume a win at the Supreme Court. The Justice Department charged a network selling green cards through fake weddings. Chinese nationals paid facilitators up to $100,000. Facilitators paid American citizens up to $30,000 to stand at the altar. One prenuptial agreement instructed the bride never to speak to the groom again. Then there is Mexico. Former Mexican tourism official Simón Levy published a report on how Mexicans are manufactured in Mexico. Civil registry employees took $4,000 per migrant to forge birth certificates for Cuban, Haitian and Chinese nationals. Mexico deleted the database field recording when a passport was issued in 2021, so the forgeries are untraceable. A Mexican passport drops your US visa refusal rate by 49.5 points. A Chinese national in Beijing becomes a Mexican citizen, then walks into the United States under a new name. The declassified Swalwell file closes the loop. Eric Swalwell admitted a physical relationship with Chinese intelligence asset Fang Fang. She placed interns in his office and laundered money into his campaign. He joked to friends his girlfriend worked for the Chinese CIA. He stayed on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and Nancy Pelosi kept him there. The FBI, which the committee oversees, kept trying to recruit Fang Fang and never moved on Swalwell. (00:00) China thinks in dynasties, not decades (01:13) Trump's August 6 executive orders on birth tourism (03:23) The ACLU coalition sues again, and Rob Bonta calls it a tantrum (05:35) Birth tourism is an industry term, not a slur (07:03) DOJ charges the $100,000 sham marriage ring (08:46) Staged attacks and weaponized immigration (11:58) Simón Levy's report: Mexicans manufactured in Mexico (15:17) The passport database field Mexico deleted in 2021 (17:56) Eric Swalwell, Fang Fang, and the warning signs he ignored (24:13) The FBI knew, kept recruiting her, and never touched him

Ranjeet Brar | 9 August 2026 Our general secretary Comrade Ranjeet Brar speaks at our recent celebration of anti-imperialist solidarity. What does Fidel Castro's example teach us about connecting revolutionary truths with the broadest possible section of the working people? This meeting was held on Saturday 25 July in Southall, west London. Also speaking were Comrade Yong Ri from the embassy of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Comrade Ismara Vargas Walter, Cuban ambassador to the UK. ------------------------------------- Subscribe! Donate! Join us in building a bright future for humanity! www.thecommunists.org www.lalkar.org www.redyouth.org Telegram: t.me/thecommunists Twitter: twitter.com/cpgbml Soundcloud: @proletarianradio Rumble: rumble.com/c/theCommunists Odysee: odysee.com/@proletariantv:2 Facebook: www.facebook.com/cpgbml Online Shop: https://shop.thecommunists.org/ Education Program: https://thecommunists.org/education-programme/ Each one teach one! www.londonworker.org/education-programme/ Join the struggle www.thecommunists.org/join/ Donate: www.thecommunists.org/donate/

Jeremie was just looking into the history of performance-enhancing drugs when he accidentally stumbled into the absolute dumpster fire that was the 1904 St. Louis Olympic Marathon. What follows is arguably the most chaotic, medically irresponsible, and unhinged sporting event ever recorded. Between a racist organizer conducting forced dehydration experiments, clouds of dust causing internal hemorrhaging, a Cuban mailman who took a mid-race nap after eating rotten apples, and a guy who "won" gold after taking a cocktail of rat poison, raw egg whites, and French brandy - only 14 out of 32 runners made it to the finish line alive. Grab a drink (preferably water, not strychnine) and join Jeremie, Brian, and Taylor as they break down how human survival accidentally became an Olympic sport. Follow Sickboy: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sickboypodcastTiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sickboypodcastDiscord: https://discord.gg/expeUDN

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions is investigating reports that a union representing roughly 600,000 workers is pushing to advance the interests of the Cuban regime. The committee is demanding information from the International Association of Machinists (IAM) about its possible links to the Cuban government. A report claims that IAM has traveled to Cuba, taken policy positions aligned with the regime, and union members have been addressed by a Cuban diplomat at a local union hall. FOX's Eben Brown speaks with Christine Balling, Senior Vice President & Adjunct Professor at The Institute of World Politics, who says its an influence campaign to sway American voters to support the foreign policy goals of a country hostile to the U.S. Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

LOUNGE LIZARDS PRESENTED BY FABRICA5 - Brilliant Honduran Cigars - Visit Fabrica005.com and use code LIZARDPOD at checkout for 10% off THE ENTIRE STORE! Free worldwide shipping from Miami on all orders over $125. See website for more information and terms.SMALL BATCH CIGAR - SAVE 15% - Exclusive Cigar Retail Partner of the Lizards - Visit SmallBatchCigar.com and use code LIZARD15 for 15% off your order. Free shipping and 5% rewards back always. Standard exclusions apply. Simple. Fast. Small Batch Cigar.Recorded at Ten86 Cigars in Hawthorne, New Jersey, the Lizards pair La Flor Dominicana 30 Years with The Glendronach 15 Year Revival Single Malt Scotch Whisky. The guys smoke the only trademarked vitola in the cigar world, a listener takes us into "The Bam Bam Zone" and they share a critical email on the discussions around Cuba's future.PLUS: Pagoda Lost Another Case, More Listener Tupperdor Issues, Gizmo at Añejo, Listeners Reply: Lizard X-Files, Favorite Smoking Accessories and Must-Smoke Cigars, Smoking in the Car, Ferio Tego Celebrates Miles Davis' 100th, New Eladio Diaz Cigars, New International Casa Carrillo Releases, Gizmo Insults Senator?, Davidoff Toros, & MoreJoin the Lounge Lizards for a weekly discussion on all things cigars (both Cuban and non-Cuban), whiskey, food, travel, life and work. This is your formal invitation to join us in a relaxing discussion amongst friends and become a card-carrying Lounge Lizard yourself. This is not your typical cigar podcast. We're a group of friends who love sharing cigars, whiskey and a good laugh.website/merch/rating archive: loungelizardspod.comemail: hello@loungelizardspod.com to join the conversation and be featured on an upcoming episode!instagram: @loungelizardspodGizmo HQ: LizardGizmo.com

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions is investigating reports that a union representing roughly 600,000 workers is pushing to advance the interests of the Cuban regime. The committee is demanding information from the International Association of Machinists (IAM) about its possible links to the Cuban government. A report claims that IAM has traveled to Cuba, taken policy positions aligned with the regime, and union members have been addressed by a Cuban diplomat at a local union hall. FOX's Eben Brown speaks with Christine Balling, Senior Vice President & Adjunct Professor at The Institute of World Politics, who says its an influence campaign to sway American voters to support the foreign policy goals of a country hostile to the U.S. Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Proletarian TV | 2 August 2026 A brilliant and empassioned speech given by our dear comrade, Her Excellency Ismara Vargas-Walter, Cuban ambassador to the UK and Ireland, at our spirited celebration of the international anti imperialist struggle in Southall today. Our Chair Joti Brar gives an introduction to comrade Her Ismara, and makes some piercing observations in response. Ismara celebrates the 100th anniveraary of the birth of Fidel Castro, leader and inspirer of the Cuban Revolution, as well as the storming of the Moncada Barracks on 26th July 1953, that triggered the Revolution. Although that heroic assault on the fortress of US comprador Batista failed, it led to the trial of Fidel and his comrades, which Fidel turned into a tribunal of the reactionary and dictatorial regime. “History will absolve me!” Declared Fidel, at the conclusion of his epic speech of defence! And on January 1st 1959, the revolutionary forces led by Fidel, Raul and Che Guevara victoriously entered Havana, ushering in the rule of the Working People and the dawn ofa socialist era in Latin America. The US IMPERIALISTS HAVE NEVER FORGIVEN the people of Cuba for breaking free of their grip, and today desire to have their brothels, casinos, landed estates and latifundia, wage slaves, peasants, vassels, monopolies and sweat-shops restored to their corrupt and mafiosi-led grip. Despite the vindictive sanctions - intensified to fever pitch by this vindictive and unstable Trump regime - and the special economic measures that the Cubans have had to take to withstand those sanctions, Cuba stands firm, on the front line of the anti Imperialist struggle. We must all demand the lifting of the criminal US blockade and do all in our power to aid Cuba: the hope of the Latin American and Caribbean peoples, and a beacon pf humanity's bright, humane, just and rational socialist future. Also at the meeting, our comrade from the London Embassy of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Comrade Yong Ri and for the CPGB-ML our general secretary Ranjeet Brar. Sign up for email updates at thecommunists.org ---------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe! Donate! Join us in building a bright future for humanity! www.thecommunists.org www.lalkar.org www.redyouth.org Telegram: t.me/thecommunists Twitter: twitter.com/cpgbml Soundcloud: @proletarianradio Rumble: rumble.com/c/theCommunists Odysee: odysee.com/@proletariantv:2 Facebook: www.facebook.com/cpgbml Online Shop: https://shop.thecommunists.org/ Education Program: https://thecommunists.org/education-programme/ Each one teach one! www.londonworker.org/education-programme/ Join the struggle www.thecommunists.org/join/ Donate: www.thecommunists.org/donate/

Cuba Embassy | 4 August 2026 This meeting was held on Saturday 25 July in Southall, west London. Also speaking were Comrade Yong Ri from the embassy of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and CPGB-ML general secretary Ranjeet Brar. Just as we have seen in Gaza and Iran, the response of the people to the intensification of the pressure by external forces has been to strengthen their resolve and reinforce and heighten their unity. ----------------------------------------- Subscribe! Donate! Join us in building a bright future for humanity! www.thecommunists.org www.lalkar.org www.redyouth.org Telegram: t.me/thecommunists Twitter: twitter.com/cpgbml Soundcloud: @proletarianradio Rumble: rumble.com/c/theCommunists Odysee: odysee.com/@proletariantv:2 Facebook: www.facebook.com/cpgbml Online Shop: https://shop.thecommunists.org/ Education Program: https://thecommunists.org/education-programme/ Each one teach one! www.londonworker.org/education-programme/ Join the struggle www.thecommunists.org/join/ Donate: www.thecommunists.org/donate/

On August 8, 1959, Jack Ruby boarded a plane to Havana, embarking on what he would spend the rest of his life claiming was a simple, eight-day vacation to visit his close friend, syndicate gambler Lewis McWillie. But official Cuban immigration cards, flight manifests, bank records, and the memories of eye-witnesses at the famous Tropicana casino paint a far more complex and troubling picture. Jack wasn't just on vacation; he was traveling back and forth to the island, even making a mysterious, unexplained one-day round trip to Miami. Decades later, congressional investigators would look at this erratic, secret itinerary and draw a chilling inference: that the "Dallas strip king" was serving, at a very minimum, as a courier for international gambling interests desperately trying to move their cash and assets out of the reach of Fidel Castro's newly installed revolutionary government.We also dig into the official paper trail of Jack's underworld associations and his bizarre relationship with federal law enforcement. Long before his fateful moment in the Dallas police basement, the FBI's Dallas office recognized his proximity to the criminal element and attempted to cultivate him as a potential criminal informant. Though Special Agent Charles Flynn ultimately closed the file after nine meetings because Jack was far more interested in trying to get his competitor strip clubs in trouble than providing actual mob intelligence, the files prove a deeper truth: Jack Ruby was small-time, but he was far from isolated. He had direct and indirect lines to some of the most powerful syndicate bosses in the country, including Santo Trafficante and associates of New Orleans boss Carlos Marcello.Furthermore, we expose the massive gaps in the Warren Commission's original 1964 investigation, which chose to ignore key witnesses, phone logs, and travel records that did not fit their comfortable "lone wolf" narrative. We analyze his frantic flurry of long-distance calls in the weeks leading up to the assassination, connecting him to Teamster officials, mob bondsmen, and New Orleans associates. We also look at the terrifying jailhouse conversation recalled by carousel comedian Wally Weston, where a shaken, imprisoned Ruby whispered that the authorities were finally going to "find out about Cuba... the guns... and everything."Finally, we examine the shocking moment on the night of November 22, 1963, in a crowded hallway at Dallas Police Headquarters. As District Attorney Henry Wade held an impromptu midnight press conference, a voice from the crowd corrected Wade's mistake about Lee Harvey Oswald's political affiliations, shouting out the exact name of the "Fair Play for Cuba Committee." The voice belonged to Jack Ruby. Why did a Dallas strip club owner know the nuances of revolutionary Cuban politics better than the district attorney? Join us as we dismantle the comfortable historical portrait of Ruby as a harmless, unconnected hanger-on who simply snapped, and look instead at a man deeply enmeshed in a highly dangerous shadow world.

Sometimes music takes us back or far into the future. Other times, time and travel are at the very core of the music we listen to. On this edition of Soundcheck, the (mostly) Havana-based band Orquesta Akokán takes us on a musical time travel through the classic Cuban dance sounds of the mid-20th century, live from our studio. After a substantial dose of mambo, cha-cha-chá, rumba, salsa, and more, Dallas-born and now New York-based singer-songwriter Hannah Jadagu studies the themes of time and travel in her dreamy alt-pop songs, which contain layered vocals that are as light as air.  Orquesta Akokán's Setlist: 1.Con Licencia 2.Pan con Tibiri 3.Caracoles 4.Suave Suave Hannah Jadagu's Setlist: 1.Give Me Time 2.Normal Today 3.My Love Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Filin is a style of music that combines traditional Cuban bolero with American jazz and blues. Over the next few weeks, Portland vocalist Jessie Marquez will explore the genre in a series of performances and conversations at El Centro Milagro, the first of which will take place this Saturday, Aug. 15. The series will culminate in a full ensemble performance on Sept. 5 as part of the Montavilla Jazz Festival.   Marquez joins us to talk about her connection to Cuba and the musical relationship she sees between the island and the U.S.  

For decades, Cuba has deployed doctors on medical missions around the world, often to places where skilled health workers are badly needed. These missions have a genuine humanitarian component—but they also generate billions of dollars for the Cuban government, making medical services Havana's most lucrative export. The United States is now pressuring countries to end these agreements, threatening one of Cuba's last major sources of income. The story of Cuba's doctors therefore raises a much larger question: What is the United States actually trying to accomplish in Cuba—and what does its pressure campaign mean for the doctors and the communities they serve? Journalist Sarah Maslin recently wrote a fascinating piece in The Economist about the precarious situation facing thousands of Cuban doctors amid the U.S. crackdown—and what it could mean for Cuba's future.

We're back for Togethermess Episode 269 with our full Florida Keys vacation recap, and it was a lot. We talk about the trip getting messy with seaweed beaches, Lawson getting sick on the boat, Cuban coffee keeping us up till 4 a.m., airport luggage fights, flying anxiety, Chinese food after travel, and Jeff's deep ocean thoughts. Subscribe, like, and tap Hype below to boost this video!Our official Jeff and Jordan merch shop is now open!Visit https://togethermess.com/ to shop TogetherMess merch, favorite finds, videos, family stories, and a little everyday chaos.Thank you to our partners:Hers - Visit https://www.forhers.com/mess to get personalized, affordable care that gets you.Shopify - Be your own boss. No dress code, no commute, no Steve from accounting. Free trial at https://www.shopify.com/togethermessSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Richard is one of my favorite writers and one of my favorite people. His books have followed his interests, from chili peppers to the Cuban revolution to eels to homelessness to life after death to cockroaches to the mysteries and intricacies of farming octopus. The phrase “insatiable curiosity” comes to mind. But he's not just curious, he's a very fine writer and a compassionate reporter. His books take you places that are fascinating, touching, and totally unexpected. I hope you'll pick one up. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

For decades, Cuban intelligence has been seen as a force that punches above its weight. Shaped during the Cold War through cooperation with the Soviet Union, its intelligence officers received extensive training by the KGB. But where does Cuba's spy service stand today, especially as it faces pressure from Washington? Retired FBI special agent Peter J. Lapp, who wrote Queen of Cuba, came in to discuss Havana's capabilities, the Americans who spied for Cuba, and the Cubans who spied for us. Subscribe to Sasha's Substack, HUMINT, to get more intelligence stories: https://sashaingber.substack.com/ For more information about the International Spy Museum, visit:  https://www.spymuseum.org/ And if you have feedback or want to hear about a particular topic,  you can reach us by email at spycast@spymuseum.org. This show is brought to you by N2K Networks, Goat Rodeo, and the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC. This episode was produced by Flora Warshaw and the team at Goat Rodeo. At the International Spy Museum, Mike Mincey and Memphis Vaughan III are our video editors. Emily Rens is our graphic designer. Joshua Troemel runs our SPY social media. Amanda Ohlke is our Director of Adult Education and Mira Cohen is the Vice President of Programs.