Podcasts about Panama City

Mark Carney and Jagmeet Singh unveil the Liberal and NDP costed platforms, as Pierre Poilievre talks about tackling the fentanyl crisis. You'll hear about today's election campaign announcements as Canadians continue to head to advance polls to get their votes in early.Also: The crackdown on immigration in the U.S. has sent hundreds of asylum seekers to Panama - in a deal that has been widely criticized by human rights groups. We'll take you to Panama City, where those people - many from Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East - are struggling to figure out what to do next.And: The NHL playoffs start tonight with five Canadian teams in contention for the Stanley Cup. You'll hear why there's some hope one of those teams could bring it home this year.

Quicksand nearly swallows man who was walking on a Michigan beach near dredging project, Panama City appears poised to be the next 'former' spring break hot spot, If you are somewhat disabled, use a walking cane...people will be nicer to you

Host Christine Lee breaks down the latest news in the crypto industry as Trump calls for interest rate cuts and warns of Fed Chair Jerome Powell's termination.Trump again calls for Fed Chair Jerome Powell to lower interest rates, adding his "termination cannot come soon enough." Meanwhile, Panama City embraces bitcoin, ether and other cryptocurrencies for taxes and municipal payments, and quantum computing group launches a competition to break Bitcoin. CoinDesk's Christine Lee hosts "CoinDesk Daily."-This episode was hosted by Christine Lee. “CoinDesk Daily” is produced by Christine Lee and edited by Victor Chen.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this special episode, we kick off our brand-new Leadership Series with someone who's been part of this journey from the very beginning - Matt Landau. Matt's been on the show more than 20 times over the years, but this conversation feels different. It's deeper, more reflective, and marks a shift in how we talk about leadership in the vacation rental industry. From managing boutique vacation rentals in Panama City's historic Casco Viejo to founding The Vacation Rental Marketing Blog and The Inner Circle, Matt has always led by example. But over the last few years, he's taken a big step back - literally and figuratively - to re-evaluate what leadership really means. His latest project, Here Goes Nothin', is all about helping short-term rental professionals find clarity, reconnect with purpose, and lead from a place of authenticity. Revolutionize Your Employee Onboarding with THRIVE Essentials: Faster Training, Stronger Teams, Better Results! Discover how THRIVE Essentials accelerates onboarding for new property management staff, boosting performance and reducing turnover. >> THRIVE Essentials Are you listening to this podcast on the move? Get to the show notes here: https://www.vacationrentalformula.com/VRS607

Mark your calendars for the next Say Yes Summit on June 17th & 18th! In this heartfelt conversation, Wendy is joined by Melissa Darnay to explore how grief, courage, and curiosity led her to a vibrant new life in Panama. After losing her husband, Melissa knew she needed something big enough to meet the weight of her loss—and that “yes” took her far beyond what she expected. Together, they talk about the healing power of new experiences, the joy of connecting with a like-minded ex-pat community, and what it really means to say yes to yourself, even when others don't understand. If you've ever wondered what's waiting on the other side of a bold decision, this episode will meet you right there.About Melissa:Melissa Darnay is anAmerican entrepreneur who has been living her dream life in Panama since 2012. As the CEO of Choose Panama, a luxury real estate and rental agency based in Panama City, Melissa specializes in helping clients find the perfect investment properties that align with their personal dreams and financial goals. Her unique approach sets her apart from other real estate professionals— she guides clients from their first inquiry through every stage of settling into Panama, offering support long after the transaction is complete.Melissa's dedication has earned her a long list of satisfied clients who have successfully found their “someday” in Panama, whether it's for a vacation, an extended stay, or a permanent move. Known for her expertise and genuine care, she has helped countless individuals and families create their ideal life in this beautiful tropical oasis.Connect with Melissa:ChoosePanama.comOn LinkedInGet her free ebook, Panama Uncorked, here. Choose Panama Podcast on Youtube________________________________________________________________________________________ Say YES to joining Wendy for her: Say YES Sisterhood PWH Farm StaysPWH Curated France TripsInstagram: @phineaswrighthouseFacebook: Phineas Wright HouseWebsite: Phineas Wright HousePodcast Production By Resonant Collective Want to start your own podcast? Let's chat!Thank you for listening to the Say YES to yourself! podcast. It would mean the world if you would take one minute to follow, leave a 5-star review, and share with a friend.

Melissa Darnay has been living her dream life in Panama since 2012 as the CEO of Choose Panama, a luxury real estate and rental agency based in Panama City. Melissa specializes in helping clients find the perfect investment properties that align with their personal dreams and financial goals. Her unique approach sets her apart from other real estate professionals—she guides clients from their first inquiry through every stage of settling into Panama, offering support long after the transaction is complete.

The Boaters' Rights Advocacy Coalition is a group of dedicated boaters associations representing more than 20,000 members committed to advocating for the rights of all active cruisers and boaters. Our mission is to ensure safe, equitable, and sustainable access to our public waterways. Here's how you can help protect anchoring on Florida's waterways:Contribute to our Advocacy Fund. This fund helps pay our lobbyist in Florida. Without professional representation, we don't have a seat a the table. Contact the members of Florida's Senate Fiscal Policy Committee:We are concerned that Senate Bill 594 will be added to the agenda for the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee the week of 4/14/2025. SB 594 could ban anchoring within 2,500 feet of Florida's Seaports and is purported to be a security measure, but there is no evidence of a security threat needing mitigation. Please email or call the Senators on the committee (see below) as soon as possible and share why you oppose the bill. Below some specific points regarding this bill for your use when calling or emailing. Please choose a few and tailor them to make your own.State Parks near several ports -- including the Ports of Everglades, Panama City, Fernandina, Fort Pierce, Pensacola, Key West, Tampa -- where anchoring is currently enjoyed are within the potential no-anchoring zones created by this bill.Common recreational anchoring areas are negatively affected in this bill. Fernandina, Port Canaveral, Ft Pierce, Lake Worth, Miami and Key West will lose much or all of their anchoring area.The setback is excessive, and is not supported by historical events or the water depths which are 10ft or less in some of the areas the bill would make off limits, making the ideal areas for us to anchor but not useable by cargo or cruise shipsPort security concerns are not highlighted in publicly available minutes from meetings of the Ports Council, Port of Palm Beach, and Port of Miami.Generally, federal law controls the regulation of navigation, seaport security and other aspects of admiralty law in and upon the navigable waters of the United States. The U.S. Supreme Court has consistently determined that federal supremacy principles mandate that federal law preempts state and local government efforts to impose conditions on port entry that federal laws already cover. Federal law allows a state to regulate its ports and waterways, as long as the regulation is based on the peculiarities of local waters that call for special precautionary measures. We believe these waters do not call for special precautionary measures, and the state of Florida lacks jurisdiction in this matter. There is substantial case law that supports this assertion.The US Coast Guard (USCG) is the lead federal agency for maritime security and the primary enforcer of security zones around seaport facilities and vessels not the Florida Wildlife and Conservation Commission. The USCG issues security zone orders, conducts patrols and inspections, coordinates with other agencies and stakeholders, and responds to incidents and emergencies within security zones.General Guidelines on Contacting Legislators:Email or phone are the best ways to reach a legislator. Letters are second best, but in our electronic world today everyone uses computers.Timing is very important. Don't delay your email until after the bill has been passed. HB 481 will be heard in committee onWednesday aftermoon.Be polite and professional. Profanity will not help no matter how frustrated you may be.Address the email/letter as ‘Dear Senator xxx' and ‘Dear Representative xxx'.Limit your message to 200 words or so. Long emails don't get the point across. Three paragraphs are a reasonable limit for emails and letters.If not a Florida resident, identify yourself as cruiser/tourist from ________ state. Emails from citizens of other states are also effective because a large segment of Florida's economy is based on tourism.Form letters are routinely ignored except they are simply tallied up. They represent the viewpoint of one individual, no matter how many times they are transmitted. Please take the time to put the “talking points” we've provided into your own words.Work very hard to avoid misspellings, grammatical errors and skipped words in your document. These are easy to spot, and may cause the reader to misunderstand what you are saying or skip reading your email entirely.Here are the committee members to contact:Last NameFirst NameCapitol PhoneEmail AddressGrutersJoe(850) 487-5022gruters.joe.web@flsenate.govOsgoodRosalind(850) 487-5032osgood.rosalind.web@flsenate.govArringtonKristen(850) 487-5025arrington.kristen.web@flsenate.govAvilaBryan(850) 487-5039Avila.Bryan.web@flsenate.govBernardMack(850) 487-5024bernard.mack.web@flsenate.govBoydJim(850) 487-5020boyd.jim.web@flsenate.govBradleyJennifer(850) 487-5006bradley.jennifer.web@flsenate.govBurtonColleen(850) 487-5012Burton.Colleen.web@flsenate.govCalatayudAlexis(850) 487-5038Calatayud.Alexis.web@flsenate.govDavisTracie(850) 487-5005Davis.Tracie.web@flsenate.govGaetzDon(850) 487-5001gaetz.don.web@flsenate.govIngogliaBlaise(850) 487-5011ingoglia.blaise.web@flsenate.govJonesShevrin ''Shev''(850) 487-5034jones.shevrin.web@flsenate.govLeekTom(850) 487-5007leek.tom.web@flsenate.govPassidomoKathleen(850) 487-5028passidomo.kathleen.web@flsenate.govRodriguezAna Maria(850) 487-5040rodriguez.anamaria.web@flsenate.govSimonCorey(850) 487-5003simon.corey.web@flsenate.govTruenowKeith(850) 487-5013truenow.keith.web@flsenate.govYarboroughClay(850) 487-5004Yarborough.Clay.web@flsenate.gov

On this episode, we have a retrospective of the late, great actor Val Kilmer.  We also talk about what we've been watching as well as Cinema Steven's fascination with donuts!If you are in the Panama City, Florida area, check out the Redfish Film Fest.  Follow the link for more information. https://redfishfilmfest.com/Send us a textSupport the showIf you are feeling anxious, depressed or angry and need someone to talk to, visit Better Help to speak to a licensed professional. Use the promo code: screenaddicts and receive 10% off your first month. Just follow this link: https://tr.ee/kWT1K0AfHj Visit our Linktree for show info and our Merch Store: https://linktr.ee/screenaddictspodcastSubmit any thoughts or questions to: screenaddictpodcast@gmail.com

The Two Oceans Marathon attracts runners from all over the world, including a small contingent from Toronto, Canada. Lester Kiewit speaks to Bahram Farhang, who has previously taken part in marathons in Lisbon, the Petra desert, Panama City, Costa Rica, and many others, but looking especially forward to his first in South Africa.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Luis Manuel Tumialán is a Professor of Neurosurgery at the Barrow Neurological Institute specializing in minimally invasive spinal surgery. He graduated from Georgetown University School of Medicine, completed his internship at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego. Dr. Tumialán completed additional training in undersea medicine in Groton Connecticut and Navy Dive School in Panama City, Florida. Upon completion of his operational training, he served as the Diving Medical Officer assigned to Naval Special Warfare Unit One in Guam during the Global War on Terror in the aftermath of September 11th, 2001. He received a Naval and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for service in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Southeast Asia and a Navy Humanitarian Medal for the search and maritime rescue of a foreign national.Once he returned to the mainland, Dr. Tumialán completed his neurosurgery training at Emory University School of Medicine and returned to the Naval Medical Center in San Diego. He joined Barrow Brain and Spine in 2010 where he serves as the director of minimally invasive spine surgery. Dr. Tumialán's main interests are in minimally invasive spinal surgery and motion preservation surgery as well as developing techniques for the next generation of spinal surgery.

John Corabi discussed his new album featuring blues covers, recorded at Muscle Shoals, and his experiences with various bands, including Motley Crue and The Dead Daisies. He shared stories about his motorhome, which serves as a tour bus and family home, and his upcoming trip to a bike rally in Panama City. Corabi also recounted his time with Union, Brides of Destruction, and his brief stint as a truck driver. He mentioned his interactions with celebrities like Dave Grohl and Larry David, and a memorable experience with Pantera involving ecstasy and heroin. John Corabi recounts his bizarre experience being arrested in Texas for public intoxication despite not having consumed any alcohol. He describes being released without charges and the involvement of a cop with a crush on his wife. Corabi also shares past troubles, including a fight that led to a murder investigation and his no-nonsense upbringing. He discusses the polarization in society, the influence of social media, and the importance of staying true to oneself. Corabi promotes his band's new blues record, "Looking for Trouble," and mentions upcoming tour dates in Europe. He emphasizes the unifying power of music and the need for people to focus on their own lives.0:00:00 - Intro0:00:20 - John Corabi Motorhome & Lifestyle 0:05:56 - Recognition & Fan Interactions 0:07:45 - Monsters of Rock Cruise 0:12:02 - New Album & Blues Covers 0:24:01- Forming the Band "Union" 0:27:35 - Brides of Destruction 0:35:00 - Ex Wife Cheating 0:41:25 - Truck Driver Life 0:50:30 - Larry David, Isla Fisher & Sacha Baron Cohen 0:59:00 - South Park & Hooligan's Holiday 1:01:05 - Dave Grohl & Grunge 1:06:30 - Pantera & Excellent Shots 1:18:35 - Getting Arrested in Dallas 1:28:40 - Teenage Troubles 1:34:20 - Family Influence & Different Times 1:37:55 - Choose Your Battles & Stay in Lane 2:02:20 - Peronsal Philosophy & Staying Informed 2:06:20 - Respecting Different Opinions & Property 2:25:10 - Michael Sweet Story 2:27:30 - Music Brings Us Together 2:29:10 Dead Daisies Update 2:35:20 - Outro Dead Daises website:https://thedeaddaisies.com/John Corabi website:https://www.johncorabi.com/Chuck Shute linktree:https://linktr.ee/chuck_shuteSupport the showThanks for Listening & Shute for the Moon!

Steve King and Johnnie Putman continue their Florida stay with some very special guests at WKGC in Panama City’s Gulf Coast State College. We get to know more about fan favorite Floridians Eli Ingram and Sandi MarLisa, the Florida duo known as Jack and Gin are back on the show to talk about their new […]

PREVIEW: #PANAMA: PRC Belt and Road advancing without hesitation in Panama City. Michael Yon in Panama. More later. @MICHAEL_YON 1905 PANAMA CANAL

Hello, Catholic Pilgrims. Well, today, Mother and her Daughters have entered the port city of Colon, Panama. Now, this is not their final destination, but this is where they are getting off the boat, moving into a train to go across the land to Panama City, and then get on another boat.  It's a longer reading today, but I really think you will enjoy hearing all Mother Cabrini has to say. She gives great descriptions of the land and the environment. Just try to imagine her in the late 1800s making her way through a foreign country such as Panama. You can tell that she is thrilled with the adventure of it all.  Let's get started by opening to page 70.  Colon, Panama: https://www.tourismpanama.com/places-to-visit/portobelo/places-to-stay/colon/

PREVIEW: Colleague Evan Ellis of the US Army War College comments on his testimony to the US Senate regarding the continued threat of the PRC to the Panama Canal. More later. 1929 PANAMA CITY

Johnnie Putman and Steve King have left Chicago… and are enjoying the Florida weather running the show from Panama City! It may be reduced, but it's still the same great Steve and Johnnie flavor! Patrick Crispen checks in with the latest tech news, hacks, spam and AI updates, with the big headlines covering a major […]

Trump is serious about his intention to seize the Panama Canal. He discussed it in his inauguration address and has dispatched Marco Rubio to Panama to put a plan in motion. But what do Panamanians think about this? My interview guest is Ed Price, a political economist at New York University and a columnist for the Financial Times. We begin by discussing the general mood on the streets of Panama City before turning to a broader conversation about how political and policy elites in Panama are responding to this assault on their sovereignty. We also examine the wider geopolitical implications of Trump's ambitions for territorial expansion, including annexing the Panama Canal, acquiring Greenland, and making Canada the “51st state.”

Preview: Colleague Professor Evan Ellis reports that the CCP continues to send delegations to Panama City to convince the government to break the deal with BlackRock for the Hutchinson Ports. MORE LATER. 1910

“The priesthood is beautiful. Keep thinking about it. Keep praying about it. It's worth it.” Fr. Pieter vanRooyen, pastor at St. Joseph Parish in Ypsilanti and an assistant professor of theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, joins Men of the Hearts hosts Fr. Craig Giera and Fr. Drew Mabee to talk about his journey to the priesthood. Having been raised in a nominally Catholic household, it wasn't until he was in college at Michigan State University that Fr. Pieter first began thinking about the priesthood. He shares how his devout grandmother, a high school friend, and a campus Christian group influenced his growing faith and helped open his eyes to his priestly vocation.(0:27) Hosts Fr. Craig Giera and Fr. Drew Mabee introduce their guest this month, Fr. Pieter vanRooyen, pastor at St. Joseph Parish in Ypsilanti and an assistant professor of theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary. He shares some recent blessings, like participating in Exodus 90 with the men of his parish. Fr. Drew shares his own experiences with Exodus 90. Our hosts and their guest then talk about Fr. Pieter's interest in motorcycles.(8:53) Fr. Craig, who serves as Director of Priestly Vocations for the Archdiocese of Detroit, talks about a recent dinner and evening prayer with Archbishop Vigneron, attended by more than 200 young men discerning the priesthood. Fr. Drew pauses to express gratitude for Archbishop Vigneron's years of ministry and slips in an invitation for Archbishop-designate Weisenburger to be a guest on the podcast after he's installed as Archbishop of Detroit on March 18. (10:22) Fr. Pieter begins sharing his vocation story. He grew up in a nominally Catholic household—he was baptized and received First Communion and Reconciliation, but attended Mass mostly on holidays and was not confirmed as a young teen. When he was in high school, his family moved closer to his devoutly Catholic grandmother, who taught him about the faith and arranged for him to be confirmed. (18:37) Fr. Pieter talks about breaking up with a steady girlfriend and feeling “crushed” by the loss, but ultimately asking himself whether he had “made an idol” of the relationship. He explores the difference between preparing for marriage and casually dating. Even married couples should look to God, not their spouse, as their ultimate source of satisfaction.(22:59) Fr. Pieter enrolled at Michigan State University in the fall of 2001 on a scholarship from the Air Force through ROTC. Within weeks of the semester starting, the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks occurred and Fr. Pieter considered dropping out and enlisting. After some thought, he decided to stay in school. He began attending Mass periodically with a suitemate as well as a Bible study. (30:26) Fr. Pieter recalls spending spring break in Panama City, Florida to attend a Campus Crusade for Christ conference, during which students were sent out “two-by-two” to share the Gospel with beach-goers. One fruit of this trip was Fr. Pieter began praying every day: “Jesus, I give this day to you.” He also began to seek answers about his Catholic faith and returned to Reconciliation for the first time since second grade.(42:12) During the summer before his sophomore year, Fr. Pieter lived with his grandmother in Chicago. It was during this time, while at Adoration with his grandmother, that he first asked God what he should do with his life. In response, the thought unexpectedly came into his head to be a priest. Fr. Pieter shares how he initially dismissed the thought but later told his grandmother, who helped connect him with a priest to explore the vocation.(54:07) After a few years of discernment and living in accordance with Church teachings, Fr. Pieter graduated from MSU and entered Sacred Heart Major Seminary in 2004. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Lansing six years later. The group spends some time talking about how a...

Kris and David are back for EPISODE #500!!! of Between the Sheets, where we discuss the partial week that was March 13-16, 1998. Topics of discussion include:The aftermath of Syxx/Sean Waltman being fired by Eric Bischoff solely to mess with Kevin Nash, including how Nash reacted to this during a candid Prodigy chat hours before WCW Uncensored.The Uncensored PPV proper, featuring Mean Gene scolding Dean Malenko after his loss to Chris Jericho, a horrible Hulk Hogan/Randy Savage cage match main event, and tons more.The second annual SPRING BREAKOUT Monday Nitro from Panama City, featuring Kevin Nash doing a cannonball into the pool and Sting rappelling from a helicopter into the ring among other wackiness.-Giant Baba rebooking almost his entire Tokyo Dome debut show for various reasons.Eric Bischoff trying to repair the WCW/NJPW relationship after offending NJPW by negotating with AJPW.Akira Hokuto announcing her pregnancy.The 2nd ever Pride FC show taking place at Yokohama Arena.K-1's plans to invade the United States.-A major UFC PPV in Kenner, Louisiana featuring Frank Shamrock ending Igor Zinoviev's career.Paul Heyman announces at the Elk's Lodge that ECW had finally cleared NY area powerhouse Cablevision for PPV distribution, giving them 100% clearance in the U.S.Kane chokeslamming the Phoenix Suns Gorilla, Vince McMahon cutting an amazing promo, and Undertaker burning Kane in effigy onn a wild episode of Raw.We made it to #500.....what a shock.....so enjoy the show!!!Timestamps:0:00:00 WCW2:18:05 Japan: AJPW, NJPW, FMW, IWA Japan, Akira Hokuto, & AJW2:44:48 Classic Commercial Break2:47:31 Halftime3:47:52 MMA: Pride FC, K-1, & UFC4:30:00 Latin America: AAA, CMLL, Monterrey, Promo Azteca, Tijuana, & WWC4:36:11 Other USA: ECW, PCW, Music City, & Azteca Lucha (Oregon)4:56:58 WWFTo support the show and get access to exclusive rewards like special members-only monthly themed shows, go to our Patreon page at Patreon.com/BetweenTheSheets and become an ongoing Patron. Becoming a Between the Sheets Patron will also get you exclusive access to not only the monthly themed episode of Between the Sheets, but also access to our new mailbag segment, a Patron-only chat room on Slack, and anything else we do outside of the main shows!If you're looking for the best deal on a VPN service—short for Virtual Private Network, it helps you get around regional restrictions as well as browse the internet more securely—then Private Internet Access is what you've been looking for. Not only will using our link help support Between The Sheets, but you'll get a special discount, with prices as low as $1.98/month if you go with a 40 month subscription. With numerous great features and even a TV-specific Android app to make streaming easier, there is no better choice if you're looking to subscribe to WWE Network, AEW Plus, and other region-locked services.For the best in both current and classic indie wrestling streaming, make sure to check out IndependentWrestling.tv and use coupon code BTSPOD for a free 5 day trial! (You can also go directly to TinyURL.com/IWTVsheets to sign up that way.) If you convert to a paid subscriber, we get a kickback for referring you, allowing you to support both the show and the indie scene.To subscribe, you can find us on iTunes, Google Play, and just about every other podcast app's directory, or you can also paste Feeds.FeedBurner.com/BTSheets into your favorite podcast app using whatever “add feed manually” option it has.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/between-the-sheets/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Kris and David are back for EPISODE #500!!! of Between the Sheets, where we discuss the partial week that was March 13-16, 1998. Topics of discussion include:The aftermath of Syxx/Sean Waltman being fired by Eric Bischoff solely to mess with Kevin Nash, including how Nash reacted to this during a candid Prodigy chat hours before WCW Uncensored.The Uncensored PPV proper, featuring Mean Gene scolding Dean Malenko after his loss to Chris Jericho, a horrible Hulk Hogan/Randy Savage cage match main event, and tons more.The second annual SPRING BREAKOUT Monday Nitro from Panama City, featuring Kevin Nash doing a cannonball into the pool and Sting rappelling from a helicopter into the ring among other wackiness.-Giant Baba rebooking almost his entire Tokyo Dome debut show for various reasons.Eric Bischoff trying to repair the WCW/NJPW relationship after offending NJPW by negotating with AJPW.Akira Hokuto announcing her pregnancy.The 2nd ever Pride FC show taking place at Yokohama Arena.K-1's plans to invade the United States.-A major UFC PPV in Kenner, Louisiana featuring Frank Shamrock ending Igor Zinoviev's career.Paul Heyman announces at the Elk's Lodge that ECW had finally cleared NY area powerhouse Cablevision for PPV distribution, giving them 100% clearance in the U.S.Kane chokeslamming the Phoenix Suns Gorilla, Vince McMahon cutting an amazing promo, and Undertaker burning Kane in effigy onn a wild episode of Raw.We made it to #500.....what a shock.....so enjoy the show!!!Timestamps:0:00:00 WCW2:18:05 Japan: AJPW, NJPW, FMW, IWA Japan, Akira Hokuto, & AJW2:44:48 Classic Commercial Break2:47:31 Halftime3:47:52 MMA: Pride FC, K-1, & UFC4:30:00 Latin America: AAA, CMLL, Monterrey, Promo Azteca, Tijuana, & WWC4:36:11 Other USA: ECW, PCW, Music City, & Azteca Lucha (Oregon)4:56:58 WWFTo support the show and get access to exclusive rewards like special members-only monthly themed shows, go to our Patreon page at Patreon.com/BetweenTheSheets and become an ongoing Patron. Becoming a Between the Sheets Patron will also get you exclusive access to not only the monthly themed episode of Between the Sheets, but also access to our new mailbag segment, a Patron-only chat room on Slack, and anything else we do outside of the main shows!If you're looking for the best deal on a VPN service—short for Virtual Private Network, it helps you get around regional restrictions as well as browse the internet more securely—then Private Internet Access is what you've been looking for. Not only will using our link help support Between The Sheets, but you'll get a special discount, with prices as low as $1.98/month if you go with a 40 month subscription. With numerous great features and even a TV-specific Android app to make streaming easier, there is no better choice if you're looking to subscribe to WWE Network, AEW Plus, and other region-locked services.For the best in both current and classic indie wrestling streaming, make sure to check out IndependentWrestling.tv and use coupon code BTSPOD for a free 5 day trial! (You can also go directly to TinyURL.com/IWTVsheets to sign up that way.) If you convert to a paid subscriber, we get a kickback for referring you, allowing you to support both the show and the indie scene.To subscribe, you can find us on iTunes, Google Play, and just about every other podcast app's directory, or you can also paste Feeds.FeedBurner.com/BTSheets into your favorite podcast app using whatever “add feed manually” option it has.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/between-the-sheets/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

#PANAMA: Reporting on the PRC declaration that the CCP is "unhappy" with the sale of the Hutchinson-owned port facilities in Panama to Larry Fink of BlackRock. @MICHAEL_YON in Panama City. More. 1697 ISTHMUS OF PANAMA

The Northwest Florida Fishing report is your best resource for the Destin Fishing Report, Panama City Fishing Report, Pensacola Fishing Report, Navarre Fishing Report, and everywhere in between. For the anglers looking for a Destin Fishing Report, Ft. Walton Beach fishing report, Choctawhatchee Bay Fishing Report, or Miramar Beach fishing report, look no further. Every week we bring you a report for those anglers interested in an Okaloosa Island fishing report and a Santa Rosa Beach fishing report and everywhere in between. For our guys looking for the Pensacola fishing report or the Navarre Fishing Report, we've got you covered. This week we're talking to Capt. Tyler Massey of https://hotspotscharters.com/ and we break down finding and fishing live bottom. There's a ton of great info to get you started. Capt. Evan Wheeler gives us the inshore report and explains how MArch is like fishing 3 seasons in one. Tune in to learn how to target and catch more Redfish, speckled trout, and flounder on the Emerald Coast. Tune in to get powerful insights from the area's best local guides.  It's all brought to you whether it's good, bad, or ugly. Please Subscribe, Rate, and review wherever you listen to podcasts, and don't forget to text the word “nwffr” to 779-345-2918  to get that AFTCO CAMO LENS CLEANER CLOTH  or click here to be added to our email list and we'll send you the new show each week!  Important Links:   Sponsors Test Calibration Saunders Yachtworks Gulf Coast Shows Hilton's Realtime Navigator Dixie Supply Shoreline Plastics Fishbites Killerdock Admiral Shellfish Bucks Island Marine Salts Gone Coastal Connection EXP Realty Great Days Outdoors    

We thought we'd be staying in one spot for the whole month—turns out, we didn't book fast enough. So now we've split our time between Panama City and Destin, and let's just say… one beach definitely won the competition.

We thought we'd be staying in one spot for the whole month—turns out, we didn't book fast enough. So now we've split our time between Panama City and Destin, and let's just say… one beach definitely won the competition.

PANAMA: DEPORTING CHINA NATIONALS VIA TURKISH AIRLINES. @MICHAEL_YON IN PANAMA CITY 1913

PANAMA: DEPORTING CHINA NATIONALS VIA TURKISH AIRLINES. @MICHAEL_YON IN PANAMA CITY 1918 PANAMA RAILROAD

President Trump has been threatening to “take back” the Panama Canal since he regained power. In this episode, listen to testimony from officials serving on the Federal Maritime Commission who explain why the Panama Canal has become a focus of the administration and examine whether or not we need to be concerned about an impending war for control of the canal. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes Current Events around the Panama Canal March 5, 2025. the Associated Press. Sabrina Valle, Suzanne McGee, and Michael Martina. March 4, 2025. Reuters. Matt Murphy, Jake Horton and Erwan Rivault. February 14, 2025. BBC. May 1, 2024. World Weather Attribution. World Maritime News Staff. March 15, 2019. World Maritime News. July 29, 2018. Reuters. Panama Canal Treaty of 1977 U.S. Department of State. The Chinese “Belt and Road Initiative” Michele Ruta. March 29, 2018. World Bank Group. The Trump-Gaza Video February 26, 2025. Sky News. Laws Audio Sources Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation January 28, 2025 Witnesses: Louis E. Sola, Chairman, Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) Daniel B. Maffei, Commissioner, FMC , Professor, Scalia Law School, George Mason University Joseph Kramek, President & CEO, World Shipping Council Clips 17:30 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Between the American construction of the Panama Canal, the French effort to build an isthmus canal, and America's triumphant completion of that canal, the major infrastructure projects across Panama cost more than 35,000 lives. For the final decade of work on the Panama Canal, the United States spent nearly $400 million, equivalent to more than $15 billion today. The Panama Canal proved a truly invaluable asset, sparing both cargo ships and warships the long journey around South America. When President Carter gave it away to Panama, Americans were puzzled, confused, and many outraged. With the passage of time, many have lost sight of the canal's importance, both to national security and to the US economy. 18:45 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): But the Panama Canal was not just given away. President Carter struck a bargain. He made a treaty. And President Trump is making a serious and substantive argument that that treaty is being violated right now. 19:10 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): President Trump has highlighted two key issues. Number one, the danger of China exploiting or blocking passage through the canal, and number two, the exorbitant costs for transit. 19:20 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Chinese companies are right now building a bridge across the canal at a slow pace, so as to take nearly a decade. And Chinese companies control container points ports at either end. The partially completed bridge gives China the ability to block the canal without warning, and the ports give China ready observation posts to time that action. This situation, I believe, poses acute risks to US national security. 19:50 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Meanwhile, the high fees for canal transit disproportionately affect Americans, because US cargo accounts for nearly three quarters of Canal transits. US Navy vessels pay additional fees that apply only to warships. Canal profits regularly exceed $3 billion. This money comes from both American taxpayers and consumers in the form of higher costs for goods. American tourists aboard cruises, particularly those in the Caribbean Sea, are essentially captive to any fees Panama chooses to levy for canal transits, and they have paid unfair prices for fuel bunkering at terminals in Panama as a result of government granted monopoly. Panama's government relies on these exploitative fees. Nearly 1/10 of its budget is paid for with canal profit. 21:25 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Panama has for years flagged dozens of vessels in the Iranian ghost fleet, which brought Iran tens of billions of dollars in oil profits to fund terror across the world. 21:40 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): And Chinese companies have won contracts, often without fair competition, as the infamous Belt and Road Initiative has come to Panama. China often engages in debt trap diplomacy to enable economic and political coercion. In Panama, it also seems to have exploited simple corruption. 32:40 Louis Sola: The Panama Canal is managed by the Panama Canal Authority, ACP, an independent agency of the Panamanian government. The ACP is a model of public infrastructure management, and its independence has been key to ensure a safe and reliable transit of vessels critical to the US and global commerce. 33:25 Louis Sola: In contrast, the broader maritime sector in Panama, including the nation's ports, water rights, and the world's largest ship registry, falls under the direct purview of the Panamanian government. 33:35 Louis Sola: Unfortunately, this sector has faced persistent challenges, including corruption scandals and foreign influence, particularly from Brazil and China. These issues create friction with the ACP, especially as it works to address long term challenges such as securing adequate water supplies for the canal. 33:55 Louis Sola: Although the ACP operates independently, under US law both the ACP and the government of Panama's maritime sector are considered one in the same. This means that any challenges in Panama's maritime sector, including corruption, lack of transparency, or foreign influence, can have a direct or indirect impact on the operations and long term stability of the canal. This legal perspective highlights the need for diligence in monitoring both the ACP's management and Panama government's policies affecting maritime operations. 34:30 Louis Sola: Since 2015, Chinese companies have increased their presence and influence throughout Panama. Panama became a member of the Belt and Road Initiative and ended its diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Chinese companies have been able to pursue billions of dollars in development contracts in Panama, many of which were projects directly on or adjacent to the Panama Canal. Many were no bid contracts. Labor laws were waived, and the Panamanian people are still waiting to see how they've been benefited. It is all more concerning that many of these companies are state-owned, and in some cases, even designated as linked to the People's Liberation Army. We must address the significant growing presence and influence of China throughout the Americas and in Panama, specifically. 35:20 Louis Sola: American companies should play a leading role in enhancing the canal's infrastructure. By supporting US firms, we reduce reliance on Chinese contractors and promote fair competition. 36:55 Daniel Maffei: Because the canal is essentially a waterway bridge over mountainous terrain above sea level, it does depend on large supplies of fresh water to maintain the full operations. Panama has among the world's largest annual rainfalls. Nonetheless, insufficient fresh water levels have occurred before in the canal's history, such as in the 1930s when the Madden Dam and Lake Alajuela were built to address water shortages. Since that time, the canal has undertaken several projects to accommodate larger, more modern ships. In the last couple of years, a trend of worsening droughts in the region, once again, has forced limits to the operations of the canal. Starting in June of 2023 the Panama Canal Authority employed draft restrictions and reduced the number of ships allowed to transit the canal per day. Now the Panama Canal limitations, in combination with the de facto closure of the Suez Canal to container traffic, has had serious consequences for ocean commerce, increasing rates, fees and transit times. 39:30 Daniel Maffei: Now, fortunately, Panama's 2024 rainy season has, for now, alleviated the most acute water supply issues at the canal, and normal transit volumes have been restored. That said, while the Panamanian government and Canal Authority have, with the advice of the US Army Corps of Engineers, developed credible plans to mitigate future water shortages, they also warned that it is likely that at least one more period of reduced transits will occur before these plans can be fully implemented. 41:55 Eugene Kontorovich: We shall see that under international law, each party to the treaty is entitled to determine for itself whether a violation has occurred. Now, in exchange for the United States ceding control of the canal which it built and maintained, Panama agreed to a special regime of neutrality. The essential features of this regime of neutrality is that the canal must be open to all nations for transit. That's Article Two. Equitable tolls and fees, Article Three. An exclusive Panamanian operation, Article Five. The prohibition of any foreign military presence, Article Five. Article Five provides that only Panama shall operate the canal. Testifying about the meaning of the treaty at the Senate ratification hearings, the Carter administration emphasized that this prohibits foreign operation of the canal, as well as the garrisoning of foreign troops. Now, Article Five appears to be primarily concerned about control by foreign sovereigns. If Panama signed a treaty with the People's Republic of China, whereby the latter would operate the canal on Panama's behalf, this would be a clear violation. But what if Panama contracted for port operations with a Chinese state firm, or even a private firm influenced or controlled in part by the Chinese government? The Suez Canal Company was itself, before being nationalized, a private firm in which the United Kingdom was only a controlling shareholder. Yet this was understood to represent British control over the canal. In other words, a company need not be owned by the government to be in part controlled by the government. So the real question is the degree of de jure or de facto control over a Foreign Sovereign company, and scenarios range from government companies in an authoritarian regime, completely controlled, to purely private firms in our open society like the United States, but there's many possible situations in the middle. The treaty is silent on the question of how much control is too much, and as we'll see, this is one of the many questions committed to the judgment and discretion of each party. Now turning to foreign security forces, the presence of third country troops would manifestly violate Article Five. But this does not mean that anything short of a People's Liberation Army base flying a red flag is permissible. The presence of foreign security forces could violate the regime of neutrality, even if they're not represented in organized and open military formations. Modern warfare has seen belligerent powers seek to evade international legal limitations by disguising their actions in civilian garb, from Russia's notorious little green men to Hamas terrorists hiding in hospitals or disguised as journalists. Bad actors seek to exploit the fact that international treaties focus on sovereign actors. Many of China's man made islands in the South China Sea began as civilian projects before being suddenly militarized. Indeed, this issue was discussed in the Senate ratification hearings over the treaty. Dean Rusk said informal forces would be prohibited under the treaty. Thus the ostensible civilian character of the Chinese presence around the canal does not, in itself, mean that it could not represent a violation of the treaty if, for example, these companies and their employees involved Chinese covert agents or other agents of the Chinese security forces. So this leads us to the final question, Who determines whether neutrality is being threatened or compromised? Unlike many other treaties that provide for third party dispute resolution, the neutrality treaty has no such provision. Instead, the treaty makes clear that each party determines for itself the existence of a violation. Article Four provides that each party is separately authorized to maintain the regime of neutrality, making a separate obligation of each party. The Senate's understanding accompanying to ratification also made clear that Article Five allows each party to take, quote, "unilateral action." Senator Jacob Javits, at the markup hearing, said that while the word unilateral is abrasive, we can quote, "decide that the regime of neutrality is being threatened and then act with whatever means are necessary to keep the canal neutral unilaterally." 46:35 Joseph Kramek: My name is Joe Kramek. I'm President and CEO of the World Shipping Council. The World Shipping Council is the global voice of liner shipping. Our membership consists of 90% of the world's liner shipping tonnage, which are container vessels and vehicle carriers. They operate on fixed schedules to provide our customers with regular service to ship their goods in ports throughout the world. 47:15 Joseph Kramek: As you have heard, using the Panama Canal to transit between the Atlantic and Pacific saves significant time and money. A typical voyage from Asia to the US or East Coast can be made in under 30 days using the canal, while the same journey can take up to 40 days if carriers must take alternate routes. From a commercial trade perspective, the big picture is this. One of the world's busiest trade lanes is the Trans Pacific. The Trans Pacific is cargo coming from and going to Asia via the United States. Focusing in a bit, cargo coming from Asia and bound for US Gulf and East Coast ports always transits the Panama Canal. Similarly, cargo being exported from US and East Coast ports, a large share of which are US Agricultural exports, like soybeans, corn, cotton, livestock and dairy also almost always transits the Panama Canal. The result is that 75% of Canal traffic originates in or is bound for the United States. 48:55 Joseph Kramek: We've talked about the drought in 2023 and the historic low water levels that it caused in Lake Gatún, which feeds the canal locks, a unique system that is a fresh water feed, as contrasted to an ocean to ocean system, which the French tried and failed, but which is actually active in the Suez Canal. These low water levels reduced transits from 36 transits a day to as low as 22 per day. Additionally, the low water levels required a reduction in maximum allowable draft levels, or the depth of the ship below the water line, which for our members reduced the amount of containers they could carry through the canal. This resulted in a 10% reduction in import volumes for US Gulf and East Coast ports, with the Port of Houston experiencing a 26.7% reduction. 51:10 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Are you aware of allegations from some vessel operators of disparate treatment such as sweetheart deals or favorable rebates by Panama for canal transits? Louis Sola: Thank you for the question, Mr. Chairman, we have become aware through some complaints by cruise lines that said that they were not getting a refund of their canal tolls. When we looked into this, we found a Panamanian Executive Order, Decree 73, that specifically says that if a cruise line would stop at a certain port, that they could be refunded 100% of the fees. And as far as I know, that's the only instant where that exists. 53:05 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): So Panama was the very first Latin American country to join China's Belt and Road Initiative, and right now, China is building a fourth bridge across the Panama Canal for car traffic and light rail. Chairman Sola, why should Chinese construction of a bridge near Panama City concern the United States? Louis Sola: Mr. Chairman, we all saw the tragedy that happened here in the Francis Scott Key Bridge incident and the devastation that had happened to Baltimore. We also saw recently what happened in the Suez Canal, where we had a ship get stuck in there. It's not only the construction of the bridge, but it's a removal of a bridge, as I understand it, called the Bridge of the Americas. It was built in 1961 and that would paralyze cargo traffic in and out of the canals. 53:55 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Panama also recently renewed the concessions for two container ports to a Chinese company, Hutchison Ports PPC. Of course, Chinese companies are controlled by the Communist Party. How does China use control of those ports for economic gain? Louis Sola: Mr. Chairman, I am a regulator, a competition regulator. And the Chinese ports that you're referring to, let me put them into scope. The one on the Pacific, the Port of Balboa, is roughly the same size as the Port of Houston. They do about 4 million containers a year. They have about 28 game tree cranes. The one on the Atlantic is the same as my hometown in Miami, they do about 1 million containers. So where Roger Gunther in the Port of Houston generates about $1 billion a year and Heidi Webb in Miami does about $200 million, the Panama ports company paid 0 for 20 years on that concession. So it's really hard to compete against zero. So I think that's our concern, our economic concern, that we would have. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Commissioner Maffei, anything to add on that? Daniel Maffei: Yeah, I do too also think it is important. I would point out that you don't have to stop at either port. It's not like these two ports control the entrance to the canal. That is the Canal Authority that does control that. However, I think it's of concern. I would also point out that the Panamanian government thinks it's of concern too, because they're conducting their own audit of those particular deals, but we remain very interested as well. 56:25 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Would the facts discussed here be considered violations of the neutrality treaty in force right now between the United States and Panama? Eugene Kontorovich: So I think Senator, I think potentially they could, but it's impossible to say definitively without knowing more, in particular, about the degree of Chinese control and involvement in these companies. I think it's important to note that these port operation companies that operate the ports on both sides, when they received their first contract, it was just a few months before Hong Kong was handed over to China. In other words, they received them as British companies, sort of very oddly, just a few months before the handover. Now, of course, since then, Hong Kong has been incorporated into China, has been placed under a special national security regime, and the independence of those companies has been greatly abridged, to say nothing of state owned companies involved elsewhere in in the canal area, which raised significantly greater questions. Additionally, I should point out that the understandings between President Carter and Panamanian leader Herrera, which were attached to the treaty and form part of the treaty, provide that the United States can, quote, "defend the canal against any threat to the regime of neutrality," and I understand that as providing some degree of preemptive authority to intervene. One need not wait until the canal is actually closed by some act of sabotage or aggression, which, as we heard from the testimony, would be devastating to the United States, but there is some incipient ability to address potential violations. 58:10 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): If the United States determines that Panama is in violation of the treaty, what is the range of remedies the United States would have for that treaty violation? Eugene Kontorovich: So I think it may be shocking to people to hear today, but when one goes over the ratification history and the debates and discussions in this body over this treaty, it was clear that the treaty was understood as giving both sides, separately, the right to resort to use armed force to enforce the provisions of the treaty. And it's not so surprising when one understands that the United States made an extraordinary concession to Panama by transferring this canal, which the United States built at great expense and maintained and operated to Panama, gratis. And in exchange, it received a kind of limitation, a permanent limitation on Panamanians sovereignty, that Panama agreed that the United States could enforce this regime of neutrality by force. Now, of course, armed force should never be the first recourse for any kind of international dispute and should not be arrived at sort of rationally or before negotiations and other kinds of good offices are exhausted, but it's quite clear that the treaty contemplates that as a remedy for violations. 1:03:20 Louis Sola: I believe that the security of the canal has always been understood to be provided by the United States. Panama does not have a military, and I always believed that there's been a close relationship with Southern Command that we would provide that. And it would be nice to see if we had a formalization of that in one way or another, because I don't believe that it's in the treaty at all. 1:05:05 Daniel Maffei: While we were down there, both of us heard, I think, several times, that the Panamanians would, the ones we talked to anyway, would welcome US companies coming in and doing a lot of this work. Frankly, their bids are not competitive with the Chinese bids. Frankly, they're not that existent because US companies can make more money doing things other places, but even if they were existent, it is difficult to put competitive bids when the Chinese bids are so heavily subsidized by China. 1:06:10 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): What would China's incentive be to heavily subsidize those bids to undercut American companies and other companies? Daniel Maffei: Yeah, it's not a real short answer, but Senator, China's made no secret of its ambitious policies to gain influence of ports throughout the globe. It's invested in 129 ports in dozens of countries. It runs a majority of 17 ports, that does not include this Hong Kong company, right? So that's just directly Chinese-owned ports. So it has been a part of their Belt and Road strategy, whatever you want to call it, the Maritime Silk Road, for decades. So they believe that this influence, this investment in owning maritime ports is important to their economy. 1:07:05 Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE): In 2021, Hutchison was awarded those two ports, Port Balboa and Port Cristobal, in a no-bid award process. Can you tell me, does the United States have any authority or recourse with the Panama Canal Authority under our current agreement with Panama to rebid those terminal concession contracts. And perhaps Mr. Kantorovich, that's more in your purview? Louis Sola: Senator, both of those ports were redone for 25 years, until 2047, I believe. And they have to pay $7 million is what the ongoing rate is for the Port of Houston- and the Port of Miami-sized concessions. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE): And it can't be rebid until after that date? Louis Sola: Well, I believe that that's what the comptroller's office is auditing both of those ports and that contract. That was done under the previous Panamanian administration. A new administration came in, and they called for an audit of that contract immediately. 1:20:10 Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK): Are the companies now controlling both sides of the Panama Canal, the Chinese companies, subject to the PRC national security laws that mandate cooperation with the military, with state intelligence agencies. Does anyone know that? Eugene Kontorovich: They're subject all the time. They're subject to those laws all the time by virtue of being Hong Kong companies. And you know, they face, of course, consequences for not complying with the wishes of the Chinese government. One of the arguments -- Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK): Wouldn't that be a violation of the treaty? And isn't that a huge risk to us right now that the Chinese -- Eugene Kontorovich: That is a threat to the neutrality -- Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK): If they invaded Taiwan, invaded the Philippines, they could go to these two companies saying, Hey, shut it down, make it hard, sink a ship in the canal. And wouldn't they be obligated to do that under Chinese law if they were ordered to by the PLA or the CCP? Eugene Kontorovich: I don't know if they'd be obligated, but certainly the People's Republic of China would have many tools of leverage and pressure on these companies. That's why the treaty specifically says that we can act not just to end actual obstructions to the canal. We don't have to wait until the canal is closed by hostile military action. Thatwould be a suicide pact, that would be catastrophic for us, but rather that we can respond at the inchoate, incipient level to threats, and then this is up to the president to determine whether this is significantly robust to constitute -- Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK): So aren't we kind of walking up to the idea of a suicide pact, because we've got two big Chinese companies on both ends of the Panama Canal, who, if there's a war in INDOPACOM, Taiwan that involves us and China, these companies would be obligated to do the bidding of the Chinese Communist Party and PLA? I mean, are we kind of walking up to a very significant national security threat already? Eugene Kontorovich: Yeah, certainly, there's a threat. And I think what makes the action of the Chinese government so difficult to respond to, but important to respond to, is that they conceal this in sort of levels of gray without direct control. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK): Let me ask you on that topic, as my last question, Professor, let's assume that we find out. And again, it wouldn't be surprising. I think you can almost assume it that these two companies have Chinese spies or military officials within the ranks of the employees of the companies. Let's assume we found that out, somehow that becomes public. But I don't think it's a big assumption. It's probably true right now. So you have spies and military personnel within the ranks of these two companies that are controlling both ends of the Panama Canal for you, Professor, and Chairman Sola, wouldn't that be a blatant violation of Article Five of the neutrality treaty, if that were true, which probably is true? Eugene Kontorovich: Yeah, I do think it would be a clear violation. As former Secretary of State, Dean Ross said at the ratification hearings, informal forces can violate Article Five as well as formal forces. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK): Is there any evidence of Chinese spies or other nefarious Chinese actors embedded in these companies? Louis Sola: Senator, we have no information of that. That's not under the purview of -- Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK): But you agree that would be a violation of Article Five of the neutrality treaty? Louis Sola: I do. 1:26:25 Daniel Maffei: Senator Sullivan was talking about Hutchison Ports. That's actually the same company that runs terminals on both ends of the canal. I am concerned about that. However, if we want to be concerned about that, all of us should lose a lot more sleep than we're losing because if there are spies there, then there might be spies at other Hutchinson ports, and there are other Hutchinson ports in almost every part of the world. They own the largest container port in the United Kingdom, Felix Dow, which is responsible for nearly half of Britain's container trade. They control major maritime terminals in Argentina, Australia, the Bahamas, Germany, Indonesia, Mexico, Myanmar, the Netherlands, South Korea and Tanzania. If owning and managing adjacent ports means that China somehow has operational control or strategic control over the Panama Canal, they also have it over the Suez, the Singapore Straits, the Mediterranean Sea and the English Channel. 1:35:45 Louis Sola: The fees that I think we are looking at, or have been looked at, the reason that we went there was because of the auctioning of the slots. And so what Panama did is they had a smaller percentage, maybe 20% allocation, and then they moved it up to 30% and 40% because it became a money maker for them. So as they were doing -- Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN): Okay, let me interject here. The auctioning of the slots gives these the right to skip the queue? Louis Sola: Yes, ma'am. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN): Okay, so just for the record there. Continue. Louis Sola: So the auctioning of the slots. Under maritime law, it's first come first serve, but Panama has always put a certain percentage aside, and they started to put more and more. So we got a lot of complaints. We got a lot of complaints from LNG carriers that paid $4 million to go through, and we got a lot of complaints from agriculture that didn't have the money to pay to go through, because their goods were gonna go down. So if you look at the financial statements -- I'm a nerd, I look at financial statements of everybody -- the canal increased the amount of revenue that they had from about $500 million to $1.8 billion in the last three years just because of those fees. So this is what is very concerning to us. 1:39:20 Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN): Do you know of any instances where the United States has been singled out or treated unfairly under the neutrality treaty in the operation of the canal? Daniel Maffei: I do not. I would add that one of the reasons why saying the US is disproportionately affected by raises in Canal fees and other kinds of fees at the canal is because the United States disproportionately utilizes the canal. 1:44:55 Louis Sola: We have a US port there, SSA, out of Washington State that I actually worked on the development of that many years ago, and helped develop that. That used to be a United States Navy submarine base, and we converted that. As far as the two ports that we have, they're completely different. One is a major infrastructure footprint, and also a container port that's moving 4 million containers a year. That's really phenomenal amount. That's more than Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and you've probably got to get Tampa and a little bit of Jacksonville in there to get that type of volume. And on the other side, we have a very small port, but it's a very strategic port on the Atlantic. So how are the operations done?I don't know how they don't make money. I mean, if you want to come right down to it, if they've been operating the port for 20 years, and they say that they haven't made any money, so they haven't been able to pay the government. That's what concerns me is I don't believe that we're on a level playing field with the American ports. 1:58:50 Eugene Kontorovich: I think the charges and fees are less of an issue because they don't discriminate across countries. We pay more because we use more, but it's not nationally discriminatory. 1:59:00 Eugene Kontorovich: The presence of Chinese companies, especially Chinese state companies, but not limited to them, do raise serious issues and concerns for the neutrality of the treaty. And I should point out, in relation to some of the earlier questioning, the canal, for purposes of the neutrality treaty, is not limited just to the actual locks of the canal and the transit of ships through the canal. According to Annex One, paragraph one of the treaty, it includes also the entrances of the canal and the territorial sea of Panama adjacent to it. So all of the activities we're talking about are within the neutrality regime, the geographic scope of the neutrality regime in the treaty. 2:00:30 Daniel Maffei: I actually have to admit, I'm a little confused as to why some of the senators asking these questions, Senator Blackburn, aren't more concerned about the biggest port in the United Kingdom being run by the Chinese. Petraeus in the port nearest Athens, one of the biggest ports in the Mediterranean, is not just run by a Chinese-linked company, it's run directly by a Chinese-owned company, and I was there. So you're on to something, but if you're just focusing on Panama, that's only part. 2:01:45 Louis Sola: About a year ago, when we were having this drought issue, there was also a lot of focus on Iran and how they were funding Hamas and the Houthis because they were attacking the Red Sea. What the United States has found is that Iranian vessels are sometimes flagged by Panama in order to avoid sanctions, so that they could sell the fuel that they have, and then they can take that money and then they can use it as they wish. Panama, at the time, had a very complicated process to de-flag the vessels. There was an investigation, there was an appeals process. By the time that OFAC or Treasury would go ahead and identify one of those vessels, by the time that they were doing the appeals and stuff like this, they've already changed flags to somewhere else. So when we went to Panama, we met with the Panamanian president, and I must say that we were very impressed, because he was 30 minutes late, but he was breaking relations with Venezuela at the time because the election was the day before. We explained to him the situation. The very next day, we met with the maritime minister, with US embassy personnel and Panama actually adjusted their appeals process so to make it more expedient, so if the United States or OFAC would come and say that this Iranian vessel is avoiding sanctions, now we have a process in place to go ahead and do that, and 53 vessels were de-flagged because of that. 2:06:05 Sen. John Curtis (R-UT): Is there any reason that China can't watch or do whatever they want from this bridge to get the intel from these containers? And does that concern anybody? Louis Sola: Well, it definitely concerns Southern Command, because they've brought it up on numerous occasions that there could be some sort of surveillance or something like that on the bridges. 2:20:30 Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT): We segregate ourselves artificially in a way that they do not. We segregate ourselves. Let's talk about military. Let's talk about intelligence. Let's talk about economics. They don't. China doesn't work that way. It's a whole of government approach. They don't draw a delineation between an economics discussion and a military one. And their attack may not look like Pearl Harbor. It may look like an everyday ship that decides, you know, it pulls into the locks and blows itself up. And now the locks are non-functional for our usage, and we can't support an inter ocean fleet transfer, and our ability to defend it, as you referred to Chairman, is now inhibited by the fact that we no longer have the military infrastructure around the canal that we did just as recently as 1999. 2:21:10 Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT): So from a commercial perspective, do the shipping companies have concerns over the security of the narrow waterways? We've the Strait to Malacca, we've got the Suez Canal, we've got Gibraltar, we've got Panama. Is that a concern that's thrown around in the boardrooms of the largest shipping corporations in the world? Joseph Kramek: Senator, I think it's something they think about every day. I mean, really, it's drawn into sharp relief with the Red Sea. It was what I call a pink flamingo. There's black swans that just come up and there's pink flamingos that you can see, but you don't act. But no one really thought a whole lot that one of the most important waterways in the world could be denied, and moreover, that it could be denied for such a sustained period. The good news is that -- Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT): And denied, I might add, by a disaffected non-state actor of Bedouins running around with rocket launchers, who also managed to beat us in a 20 year war in Afghanistan. My point to saying all this is we're just debating operational control of the canal, yet it seems very clear to all of us that a very simple act can debilitate the canal and eliminate our ability to use it in a matter of minutes with no warning, and we have no ability to intervene or stop that. To me, that means we do not have operational control of the canal. 2:30:40 Daniel Maffei: I will say that certainly we need to look at other kinds of ways to get US companies in positions where they can truly compete with the Chinese on some of these things. Blaming it all on Panama really misses the point. I've seen the same thing in Greece, where Greece didn't want to give the concession of its largest port to a Chinese company, but because of its financial difficulties, it was getting pressure from international organizations such the IMF, Europe and even maybe some of the United States to do so. So I just ask you to look at that. 2:31:20 Daniel Maffei: Panamanians are making far more on their canal than they ever have before. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as long as it's going to the right place. But where they're really making the money is on these auctions, and that is why it remains a concern of mine and I'm sure the chairman's. That is where we are looking at, potentially, using our authority under Section 19 of the Merchant Marine Act where we could, if we can show that it is a problem with the foreign trade of the US, it's interfering with foreign trade of the US, there are certain things that we can do. Senate Foreign Relations Committee January 15, 2024 Clips 4:01:40 Marco Rubio: The thing with Panama on the canal is not new. I visited there. It was 2016. I think I've consistently seen people express concern about it, and it's encapsulized here in quote after quote. Let me tell you the former US ambassador who served under President Obama said: "the Chinese see in Panama what we saw in Panama throughout the 20th century, a maritime and aviation logistics hub." The immediate past head of Southern Command, General Laura Richardson, said, "I was just in Panama about a month ago and flying along the Panama Canal and looking at the state owned enterprises from the People's Republic of China on each side of the Panama Canal. They look like civilian companies or state owned enterprises that could be used for dual use and could be quickly changed over to a military capability." We see questions that were asked by the ranking member in the house China Select Committee, where he asked a witness and they agreed that in a time of conflict, China could use its presence on both ends of the canal as a choke point against the United States in a conflict situation. So the concerns about Panama have been expressed by people on both sides of the aisle for at least the entire time that I've been in the United States Senate, and they've only accelerated further. And this is a very legitimate issue that we face there. I'm not prepared to answer this question because I haven't looked at the legal research behind it yet, but I'm compelled to suspect that an argument could be made that the terms under which that canal were turned over have been violated. Because while technically, sovereignty over the canal has not been turned over to a foreign power, in reality, a foreign power today possesses, through their companies, which we know are not independent, the ability to turn the canal into a choke point in a moment of conflict. And that is a direct threat to the national interest and security the United States, and is particularly galling given the fact that we paid for it and that 5,000 Americans died making it. That said, Panama is a great partner on a lot of other issues, and I hope we can resolve this issue of the canal and of its security, and also continue to work with them cooperatively on a host of issues we share in common, including what to do with migration. 4:38:35 Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT): Now, President Trump has recently talked a little bit about the fact that there are some questions arising about the status of the Panama Canal. When we look to the treaty at issue, the treaty concerning the permanent neutrality and operation of the Panama Canal, we're reminded that some things maybe aren't quite as they should be there right now. Given that the Chinese now control major ports at the entry and the exit to the canal, it seems appropriate to say that there's at least an open question. There's some doubt as to whether the canal remains neutral. Would you agree with that assessment? Marco Rubio: Yes. Here's the challenge. Number one, I want to be clear about something. The Panamanian government, particularly its current office holders, are very friendly to the United States and very cooperative, and we want that to continue, and I want to bifurcate that from the broader issue of the canal. Now I am not, President Trump is not inventing this. This is something that's existed now for at least a decade. In my service here, I took a trip to Panama in 2017. When on that trip to Panama in 2017 it was the central issue we discussed about the canal, and that is that Chinese companies control port facilities at both ends of the canal, the east and the west, and the concerns among military officials and security officials, including in Panama, at that point, that that could one day be used as a choke point to impede commerce in a moment of conflict. Going back to that I -- earlier before you got here, and I don't want to have to dig through this folder to find it again, but -- basically cited how the immediate past head of Southern Command, just retired general Richardson, said she flew over the canal, looked down and saw those Chinese port facilities, and said Those look like dual use facilities that in a moment of conflict, could be weaponized against us. The bipartisan China commission over in the House last year, had testimony and hearings on this issue, and members of both parties expressed concern. The former ambassador to Panama under President Obama has expressed those concerns. This is a legitimate issue that needs to be confronted. The second point is the one you touched upon, and that is, look, could an argument be made, and I'm not prepared to answer it yet, because it's something we're going to have to study very carefully. But I think I have an inkling of I know where this is going to head. Can an argument be made that the Chinese basically have effective control of the canal anytime they want? Because if they order a Chinese company that controls the ports to shut it down or impede our transit, they will have to do so. There are no independent Chinese companies. They all exist because they've been identified as national champions. They're supported by the Chinese government. And if you don't do what they want, they find a new CEO, and you end up being replaced and removed. So they're under the complete control of their government. This is a legitimate question, and one that Senators Risch had some insight as well. He mentioned that in passing that needs to be looked at. This is not a joke. The Panama Canal issue is a very serious one. 4:44:30 Marco Rubio: In 2016 and 2017 that was well understood that part of the investments they made in Panama were conditioned upon Panama's ability to convince the Dominican Republic and other countries to flip their recognition away from Taiwan. That happened. Jen Briney's Recent Guest Appearances Travis Makes Money: Give and Take: Music by Editing Production Assistance

The Northwest Florida Fishing report is your best resource for the Destin Fishing Report, Panama City Fishing Report, Pensacola Fishing Report, Navarre Fishing Report, and everywhere in between. For the anglers looking for a Destin Fishing Report, Ft. Walton Beach fishing report, Choctawhatchee Bay Fishing Report, or Miramar Beach fishing report, look no further. Every week we bring you a report for those anglers interested in an Okaloosa Island fishing report and a Santa Rosa Beach fishing report and everywhere in between. For our guys looking for the Pensacola fishing report or the Navarre Fishing Report, we've got you covered. This week, we check in with Captains Adam Peeples and Justin Leake for the latest fishing conditions along the Northwest Florida coast. Captain Adam Peeples, fishing out of Destin, recently headed offshore to the FADs, where he found calm seas, 71-degree water, and plenty of baitfish. He made a few swordfish drops, releasing three small ones. While daytime swordfishing can be productive in winter, he notes that nighttime bites tend to pick up in the summer when water temps hit the mid-70s. Over in Panama City and Panama City Beach, Captain Justin Leake reports a steady nearshore bite on reefs in 60-90 feet of water, despite some inconsistent weather. He expects more migratory baitfish, Spanish mackerel, and pompano as temperatures rise—Spanish mackerel are already showing up at the pier. Right now, pinfish are the main available bait, but the red grouper bite has been strong. For the best results, he recommends jigging with soft plastics to maximize catches and minimize bait loss. It's all brought to you whether it's good, bad, or ugly. Please Subscribe, Rate, and review wherever you listen to podcasts, and don't forget to text the word “fishing” to 647-558-9895 or click here to be added to our email list and we'll send you the new show each week! All Northwest Florida Email Subscribers receive an AFTCO FREE SUNGLASS LENS CLEANER promo code for any purchase!   Sponsors Admiral Shellfish Alabama Marine Resources Angelo Depaola EXP Realty "The Coastal Connection" Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo Buck's Island Marine CCA Alabama Dixie Supply Fishbites Foster Contracting - Fortified Roofing Gulf Coast Office - National Land Realty Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism Great Days Outdoors Hayabusa USA Hilton's Offshore Charts KillerDock L&M Marine Mallard Bay Test Calibration Photonis

Sandy Cohen has traveled to 102 countries   Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian.  We are back with a new guest, Sandy Cohen.  I have known Sandy for years on social media, and I was fortunate to meet her at both Extraordinary Travel Festivals.  But, this conversation was my opportunity to learn more about Sandy, her life and travels, and I found it to be a fascinating conversation.  Sandy shared tales of her life, from being a chocolatier to hosting a top travel TV show for over a decade to running drugs in Guinea-Bissau.  Well, not exactly.      I would like to thank everyone for their support of Counting Countries, especially my Patrons.  You know them, you love them!  Bisa “fully nomadic” Myles, Ted Nims, Adam “one-away” Hickman, Steph “Phuket” Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe “BC” Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Phil “Marmaduke” Marcus, Sam Williams, and Scott Day for supporting this podcast.  You can support this podcast by going to .  My patrons will hear extra content with Sandy that you will not hear and be part of our members only FB group.  You also get swag … Ted Nims and Barry Hoffner just received Counting Country T-shirts.    Also, please remember if you are interested in traveling to Papua New Guinea to partake in your own private Sing Sing to meet scores of tribes in an intimate setting, check out our friends Tribes of Papua New Guinea.  Reach out to me to learn more about this experience and how to get a 10% discount.   I was in Boston for this recording while Sandy was in Panama City. Please listen in and enjoy.    Thank you to my - you rock!! … Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Adam Hickman, Steph Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Phil Marcus, Sam Williams and Scott Day.        And now you can listen to ! And Alexa!   And write a review! More About Sandy Cohen Instagram: Born In: Colombia Lives in: Panama About Counting Countries Counting Countries is the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who've spent their lives on the singular quest of traveling to every country in the world. Less people have traveled to every country in the world than have been to outer space. Theme music for this podcast is Demeter's Dance, written, performed, and provided by .  About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: , , and .  He is the producer of two travel documentaries: and .   Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has and keep up with his journey at How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask!  The United Nations states that there are . The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are . The Traveler's Century Club states that there are . The Nomad Mania The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 . SISO says there are .     Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. Sandy Cohen Counting Countries 

1/2: #PANAMA CITY: REPORTING FROM THE FRONT LINE OF DEPORTED OR DEFEATED MIGRANTS.   @MICHAEL_YON. 1929 PANAMA CITY.

2/2: #PANAMA CITY: REPORTING FROM THE FRONT LINE OF DEPORTED OR DEFEATED MIGRANTS.   @MICHAEL_YON. 1945 INTERAMERICAN UNIVERSITY PANAMA R.P.

Panama is thriving with new opportunities for those looking to live, work, and invest abroad. While modern infrastructure development has been a slow process in some areas for decades, progress has been accelerating each year. In this episode, Matt interviews Anne-Michelle Wand, an American expat who has been living in Panama full-time for 15 years. During her time there, she has been providing consulting services to individuals relocating from the United States, guiding them through the challenges of uprooting their lives and establishing new roots in a foreign country.Having spent years on Panama's Caribbean coast in the town of Bocas del Toro, Anne-Michelle has observed a recurring issue—many aging adults eventually leaving due to a lack of resources for safe and comfortable senior living and elder care. With her background in real estate and private equity in the U.S., she sees a solution. She has begun developing plans for a new retirement community designed to provide the necessary support for older adults who wish to remain in the area.In her conversation with Matt, they discuss what it takes to live outside of Panama City, examining the systems already in place and what still needs improvement. This episode offers a glimpse into the early stages of an exciting real estate development project—one that presents potential investment opportunities or even a future home for those considering a move.To learn more about Anne-Michelle's work, visit her website at Passive Profit Partners. For inquiries about her new venture or consulting services, you can contact her through her website or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Trump sending Marco Rubio down to Panama, a shocking election annulment in Romania, and a surprising new fast-track citizenship program are only a few of the big news stories that have been piling up since the latest edition of Expat News more than two months ago.  This week, we are changing up the Expat News format a bit as I invite my dear friend and colleague Marc Clair to join me as my resident “news man" and make these episodes a little more of a back-and-forth format.  Enjoy this breakdown of the latest headlines as Marc and I dive deep into all the geopolitical shifts and citizenship program changes on this latest edition of Expat News! TODAY'S EDITION OF EXPAT NEWS: Listen in as Marc and I analyze Trump's strategy behind sending Marco Rubio to Panama and what it means for US-Panama relations. Tune in as we break down the annulled election in Romania—was this Brussels flexing its power over an uncooperative leader? Find out why Panama's new associate membership in Mercosur could change the game for residency and trade opportunities in Latin America. Hear my take on Javier Milei's disastrous endorsement of a crypto coin—what was he thinking?! Learn about New Zealand's struggling investor visa program—why has it failed so badly? Unpack Spain's insane 100% tax on non-EU real estate buyers—are they intentionally pushing expats out? Discover Sierra Leone's intriguing new fast-track citizenship program—could this be a sleeper opportunity? Explore why the UAE's new Golden Visa for content creators might just be a brilliant marketing move. THE WEALTH, FREEDOM & PASSPORTS CONFERENCE IN PANAMA MARCH 14-15! Join us in Panama for the inaugural Wealth, Freedom & Passports Conference, our first-ever large conference event, taking place in Panama City, Panama, March 14-15, 2025! This is your chance to gain invaluable insights, connect with like-minded freedom seekers, and, most importantly, meet with 20+ of the most trusted partners necessary to secure a prosperous life offshore. Head to ExpatMoney.com/Conference to learn more and secure your spot right away! SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER You would have already heard about many of these new items if you had been subscribed to our newsletter. You will receive the EMS Pulse newsletter and the weekly Expat Sunday Times; sign up now and receive my FREE special report, 

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner   Today, I'm talking to a medical missionary by the name of Dr. Alberto Denis.  Born in Panama to an indigenous family, Alberto moved to Panama City and studied medicine.  A friend helped him become a Christian in his fourth year of med school. After serving his country for two years, he moved back to his indigenous homeland and served the poor by going from island to island healing, helping and delivering babies.  With little knowledge of English, he applied for the ReviveEE program and learned conversational English in three months.  He served in Romania and now lives in Moldova where he is learning Romanian.  He has plans to return to medical school in Madrid, Spain and then lead a life as a medical missionary wherever Jesus calls him.      More About Dr. Alberto Denis: Alberto Denis is part of the Guna Yala indigenous community in Panama and raised in a small town in Panama City. He studied medicine for 7 years, and became a disciple when he was in his 4th year in college. After finishing med school, Alberto worked as a doctor for his people for about 1 year, traveling from different islands to deliver medicine, and sometimes babies. After this work, he decided to be part of RevivEE and become a full time missionary in Eastern Europe. He likes to learn new languages and serve in any possible way. Now He is living in Moldova helping the local church in the campus ministry.    How to Contact Dr. Alberto: allberth05@gmail.com

How do we stay missional? In this message from the Victory 40 Conference in the Philippines, Rico Ricafort teaches us three ways that we can remain a mission force in the years to come.Rico is the lead pastor of Every Nation Panama in Panama City, Panama.

In this episode of the Dream Huge podcast, host Pete Peterson and co-host John Pavlansky welcome Melissa Darnay from Choose Panama Real Estate. Melissa shares her inspiring journey to Panama, detailing her experiences in the real estate market and the unique lifestyle in Panama. The conversation covers the differences in real estate processes, the emotional challenges of relocating, and the investment opportunities available in the region. Melissa emphasizes the importance of providing exceptional service to clients and discusses the current status of the Panama Canal, as well as the real estate commission structure in Panama. The episode concludes with encouragement for those considering a move to Panama, highlighting the beauty and lifestyle the country offers. Takeaways Melissa Darnay moved to Panama seeking adventure after a personal loss. Real estate processes in Panama are straightforward and investor-friendly. The emotional journey of relocating can be challenging but rewarding. Choose Panama offers a 'white glove' service to clients. Apartments are the most common type of housing in Panama City. Investors can expect a return on investment of 8-11% in Panama. The Panama Canal is crucial for the country's economy and is fully owned by Panama. Real estate commissions in Panama are typically 5%. Living in Panama offers a lifestyle that exceeds expectations. Melissa encourages others to consider Panama for vacation homes or investments.    

Today on the Wholesale Hotline Podcast (Flipping Mastery Edition), Jerry Norton is joined by Cody Hanson to break down his real estate journey. Show notes -- in this episode we'll cover: Cody shares how he made his first $8,000 real estate deal in just 14 days with one very simple strategy. Why virtual wholesaling is the game-changer that allows Cody to close deals nationwide from his home in Atlanta, leveraging tools like PropWire for lead generation. The importance of consistency in real estate success: Cody breaks down his formula of making five offers a day, five days a week, to hit 100 deals a month. How stacking multiple motivated seller lists (absentee owners, out-of-state, vacant properties, high equity, and tired landlords) helped Cody secure a $21,000 assignment fee in Panama City. The power of agent relationships in real estate investing: Cody explains how partnering with a top local agent helped him double-close and navigate obstacles like unpermitted roofing issues.    Please give us a rating and let us know how we are doing! ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖  ☎️ Welcome to Wholesale Hotline & Flipping Mastery Breakout! ☎️ Jerry Norton went from digging holes for minimum wage in his mid 20's to becoming a millionaire by the age of 30. Today he's the nation's leading expert on flipping houses and has taught thousands of people how to live their dream lifestyle through real estate.   **NOTE: To Download any of Jerry's FREE training, tools, or resources… Click on the link provided and enter your email. The download is automatically emailed to you. If you don't see it, check your junk/spam folder, in case your email provider put it there. If you still don't see it, contact our support at: support@flippingmastery.com or 888) 958-3028.  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖  

PREVIEW: PANAMA: Colleague Michael Yon, reporting from Panama City, details his discoveries of Chinese aid(CHINA AID) operations across Central America, including El Salvador. More later. 1911 San Salvador

Enfermées et privées de statut légal, près de 300 personnes prises en charge par le gouvernement panaméen à la demande de l'administration Trump ne sont toujours pas fixées sur leur sort. Reportage de Grégoire Pourtier. Au cœur de Panama City, enserré entre un hôpital et un centre commercial abritant boutiques chics et casinos, le luxueux hôtel Decapolis a été vidé de ses touristes. On n'y pénètre plus qu'en trompant la vigilance de la police, mais pas de chambre disponible, impossible même d'y commander un café. « L'hôtel est en rénovation », nous explique-t-on dans le vaste lobby, déserté. En fait, le Decapolis hébergeait en ce début de semaine 299 migrants renvoyés des États-Unis.« J'ai aussi réussi à entrer, mais on m'a dit qu'il n'y avait pas d'instruction pour que je puisse rencontrer mes clients, qu'on ne pouvait rien me dire », relate Susana Sabalza, une avocate spécialisée dans les questions migratoires. « J'ai attendu toute la matinée et quand j'ai passé quelques coups de fil, immédiatement ont débarqué les services du Défenseur du peuple et des journalistes. Mais là, on nous a finalement viré de l'hôtel. »Les migrants sont isolés dans leurs chambres. On les aperçoit depuis l'extérieur, derrière leurs fenêtres, certains faisant des signes pour exprimer visiblement leur peur d'être renvoyés dans leur pays d'origine.Le Défenseur du peuple, un organe indépendant chargé des droits de l'homme au Panama, a pu, lui, accéder à certains de ces résidents forcés. Eduardo Leblanc, son directeur : « Nous sommes venus avec une psychologue, des avocats, des responsables des Droits de l'homme. Nous avons pu faire des entretiens, en priorité avec les familles, car la situation des enfants et des adolescents est le plus important pour nous. Nous avons donc parlé avec certains d'entre eux, pour voir comment ils allaient, et connaître un peu leur expérience ».Ils sont 24 enfants répartis dans 12 familles, dont l'une, taïwanaise, a des amis communs avec l'avocate Susana Sabalza. Elle voudrait les prendre en charge mais n'a pas pu les rencontrer au Decapolis, ni même leur parler par téléphone. Elle a finalement été informée officieusement qu'ils avaient été déplacés, de nuit, avec une centaine d'autres personnes, dans un camp précaire, en bordure de la jungle. Susana Sabalza dénonce les conditions imposées à ces migrants, dont la moitié aurait déjà accepté d'être rapatriés dans leur pays d'origine. « Le ministre de la Sécurité a indiqué fermement qu'ils ne sont pas séquestrés, qu'ils sont sous leur responsabilité, rappelle Susana Sabalza. Cependant, nous sommes sur le territoire panaméen, ils sont comme en détention car il y a clairement un vide juridique. Je n'accuse pas notre gouvernement car il faut être conscient de la pression imposée par les Etats-Unis. Mais jusqu'à quel point le Panama va-t-il accepter cela ? »Le petit pays est en effet dans le viseur de Donald Trump, qui a exprimé son envie de récupérer le canal que les Américains contrôlaient jusqu'à l'an 2000. Le président José Raul Mulino a cependant assuré que cette opération n'avait pas vocation à être reproduite, le Panama servant simplement de facilitateur avec des pays où les Etats-Unis n'auraient pas pu renvoyer ceux que Washington juge indésirables.Cependant, le Défenseur du peuple Eduardo Leblanc, estime que la situation légale doit être clarifiée. « Nous avons émis des recommandations pour le gouvernement panaméen par rapport à cette situation inédite pour le pays. Premièrement, toute les personnes qui entrent au Panama doivent avoir un statut migratoire. Ensuite, elles doivent avoir accès à des services de santé, d'alimentation. Enfin, elles doivent pouvoir solliciter l'asile dans les cas où c'est nécessaire, et il faut une attention spéciale pour les enfants et les adolescents. »Le gouvernement indique que 13 personnes ont déjà été rapatriées, et que l'opération, prise en charge par l'Organisation internationale pour les migrations (OIM), une agence des Nations-Unies, ne coûtera pas un centime au pays. Frankétienne, mort d'un monument de la culture haïtiennePoète, écrivain, homme de théâtre, artiste, musicien, Jean-Pierre Basilic Dantor Franck Étienne d'Argent de son vrai nom, est mort hier soir chez lui dans la zone métropolitaine de Port-au-Prince, à l'âge de 89 ans. La presse en Haïti lui rend un hommage appuyé et souligne son caractère hors-norme, « hyperbolique, abondant », selon le Nouvelliste, qui s'incline devant le départ d'un « génial mégalomane ». Frankétienne touchait à tout, à la littérature, à la chimie, aux mathématiques, « c'était un génie, un artiste polyvalent qui a peint des centaines de tableaux, écrit près de soixante-dix ouvrages mêlant poésies, romans, pièces de théâtre qu'il mettait lui-même en scène et qu'il interprétait avec succès. Frankétienne ne supportait pas la banalité, l'ordinaire, et prenait le parti de faire ce que les autres écrivains, les autres peintres ou dramaturges ne faisaient pas ».Il a exercé une énorme influence sur la poésie haïtienne, sur la langue aussi, avec ses propres mots, couchés, entre autre, dans un roman de 2017 : « embrindezingué », « salopété », « dévaginer », une ribambelle de néologismes qui ont forgé un art bien à lui, au cours d'une très longue carrière entamée dans les années 1960. Il deviendra d'ailleurs, note l'agence Alterpresse, le premier et éphémère titulaire du Ministère de la culture en Haïti, en 1988. Commandeur de l'Ordre des arts et des lettres, son œuvre multiforme continue, conclut Alterpresse, « d'influencer et d'inspirer les générations actuelles et les générations futures ».À lire aussiL'écrivain et poète haïtien, Frankétienne, est décédéLe ministère américain de l'Intérieur revient sur l'extension du TPS pour les Haïtiens Joe Biden avait étendu ce dispositif jusqu'en février 2026 pour les ressortissants haïtiens, l'administration Trump vient de revenir sur cette décision et la date butoir est ramenée au 3 août. Au-delà de ce jour, à moins qu'ils aient pu accéder à un autre statut légal, les Haïtiens qui bénéficiaient jusqu'alors du TPS seront à la merci d'une expulsion, et l'on parle d'un chiffre considérable : environ 500 000 Haïtiens seraient concernés par cette mesure. Dans le Miami Herald, colère de Frederica Wilson, élue démocrate de Floride, selon qui cette décision de la nouvelle Maison Blanche revient à un « baiser de la mort. Elle est révoltante, lâche Frederica Wilson, car les troubles qui touchent Haïti sont réels et nous devrions soutenir les Haïtiens au lieu de leur tourner le dos ». Les démocrates désarçonnés après un mois de présidence Trump30 jours au pouvoir, des bouleversements diplomatiques d'une ampleur inédite, une cohorte de décrets, des déclarations fracassantes qui noient la voix de l'opposition aux États-Unis : les démocrates ont bien du mal à réagir et s'adapter au rythme de la nouvelle Maison Blanche. Dossier de notre correspondant à Washington, Guillaume Naudin, à réécouter dans son intégralité dans l'édition du jour.  L'actualité des Outre-mer avec nos confrères de la 1èreLes chiffres alarmants de la sécurité routière en Guadeloupe : 54 morts sur les routes l'an dernier pour seulement 380 000 habitants.

From zero scholarships to the NFL—Javien Elliott’s journey is a story of grit, faith, and determination. Growing up in Panama City, Florida, Javien dreamed of playing college football and making it to the NFL. But as a high school graduate with no star ranking and no scholarship offers, those dreams seemed far out of reach. After three years away from the game, Javien made the bold decision to walk on to the reigning national champions, the Florida State Seminoles, where he ultimately earned a scholarship, a starting position, and the chance to prove himself on one of college football’s biggest stages. With only one season under his belt, Javien went undrafted but didn't let that stop him from pursuing his NFL dream. Today’s conversation is more than a tale of an improbably athletic career; it’s a testament to the power of faith in God, resilience, and an unbreakable will to succeed. Javien’s story encourages anyone facing long odds to believe in what’s possible and to pursue their dreams relentlessly. Through his journey, he shows that with grit, faith, and determination, anything is achievable. This episode is perfect for athletes, dreamers, and anyone looking for inspiration to overcome their own challenges. Our prayer is that today’s conversation would serve as a powerful reminder that the road to success is rarely smooth but it’s always worth it! Purchase Your Copy of Unconquered Walk-On Today: https://www.amazon.com/Unconquered-Walk-Unlikely-Scholarships-Florida/dp/B0DPVHYHMN?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER Follow Javien on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/javien._/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

"PREVIEW: PANAMA: Professor Evan Ellis reports that Panama City remains stable despite President Mulino's intemperate words. More tonight." undated Panama

Many dream of quitting their jobs to travel the world, but few actually do it—especially after spending a decade climbing the corporate ladder at a Fortune 500 company. That's exactly what today's guest, Xenia Schneider, did when she left a thriving corporate career at WalMart to pursue a life of full-time travel and personal freedom. In this episode, Xenia shares how she went from boardroom meetings and a typical American lifestyle to living simply with just a backpack—and why she's never looked back.  Enjoy! TODAY'S CONVERSATION WITH XENIA SCHNEIDER Tune in to discover what motivated Xenia to leave a thriving corporate career at Walmart in pursuit of the expat lifestyle. Find out how Xenia discovered the joy of living simply with just a backpack. Learn how travel became her personal act of resistance during the COVID years. Gain insight into the German mindset and learn why I seem to connect so well with Germans. Xenia and I explore the meaning of a “family of choice” and why it's an essential part of building a new life abroad. Discover how Xenia turned political frustration into a mission to help others achieve more freedom. Take a peek behind the curtain to learn how Xenia and I often end up playing the role of psychologists or therapists while guiding people through their Plan-B. By the end of this conversation, you will be inspired to take control of your freedom and start designing your ideal life abroad right away. SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER Keep up to date on the latest news affecting expats, as well as maintain a steady stream of my opinions, travel stories, and more by subscribing to our newsletter. Not only will you receive the EMS Pulse newsletter and the weekly Expat Sunday Times, but sign up now, and you'll also receive my FREE special report, “Plan B Residencies and Instant Citizenships.” THE WEALTH, FREEDOM & PASSPORTS CONFERENCE IN PANAMA MARCH 14-15 Join us in Panama for the inaugural Wealth, Freedom & Passports Conference, our first-ever large conference event, taking place in Panama City, Panama, March 14-15, 2025! This is your chance to gain invaluable insights, connect with like-minded freedom seekers, and, most importantly, connect with 20+ of the most trusted partners necessary to secure a prosperous life offshore. VIP Tickets are entirely sold out, and general admission tickets are going fast. Head to

How often do you get to meet a sitting president? Well, last week, I did just that when I had the incredible opportunity to meet Santiago Peña, the President of Paraguay. In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on two major experiences from the past week—my in-person interview with Panamanian immigration officials as I work toward citizenship and an exclusive luncheon where I met President Peña. First, I'll take you inside my recent interview with Panamanian immigration officials, a key step in my citizenship process. And yes, I had to do it entirely in Spanish. Then, I'll share how I managed to slip away from Chinese New Year's celebrations with my family to attend a luncheon with the President of Paraguay, plus what I learned about the growing ties between Panama and Paraguay—two fantastic Plan-B destinations for expats. Enjoy the episode, and I'll see you back here next Wednesday! THE WEALTH, FREEDOM & PASSPORTS CONFERENCE IN PANAMA MARCH 14-15 Join us in Panama for the inaugural Wealth, Freedom & Passports Conference, our first-ever large conference event, taking place in Panama City, Panama, March 14-15, 2025!  This is your chance to gain invaluable insights, connect with like-minded freedom seekers, and, most importantly, connect with 20+ of the most trusted partners necessary to secure a prosperous life offshore. Our VIP Tickets are already sold out, and only general admission tickets remain. Seating is very limited, so head to ExpatMoney.com/Conference to learn more and secure your spot right away! STAY UP-TO-DATE ON THE EXPAT WORLD Sign up for any of our newsletters, like the EMS Pulse and the Expat Sunday Times, to stay up-to-date with a steady stream of news and my opinions on the expat world. Download my FREE special report, “Plan B Residencies and Instant Citizenships,” today, and you'll be signed up for both! RELATED EPISODES 336: Update: Panama Citizenship & Brazil Trip 299: Expat News: Panama's New President, Millionaires Fleeing The US 283: Panama Healthcare: A Personal Case Study Report

Dr. Darrell Martin is an OB/GYN with four decades of expertise in women's health and the author of the bestselling memoir “In Good Hands: A Doctor's Story of Breaking Barriers for Midwifery and Birth Rights.” In this episode, Dr. Martin and Meagan walk down memory lane talking about differences in birth from when he started practicing to when he retired. He even testified before Congress to fight for the rights of Certified Nurse Midwives and for patients' freedom to select their healthcare providers! Dr. Martin also touches on the important role of doulas and why midwifery observation is a huge asset during a VBAC.Dr. Martin's TikTokIn Good Hands: A Doctor's Story of Breaking Barriers for Midwifery and Birth RightsDr. Martin's WebsiteCoterie DiapersUse code VBAC20 at checkout for 20% off your first order of $40 or more.How to VBAC: The Ultimate Prep Course for ParentsFull Transcript under Episode Details Meagan: Hello, everybody. We have Dr. Darrell Martin joining us today. Dr. Martin hasn't really been in the OB world as of recently, but has years and years and over 5000 babies of experience. He wrote a book called, “In Good Hands: A Doctor's Story of Breaking Barriers for Midwifery and Birth Rights.” We wanted to have him on and talk just a little bit more about this book and his history. That is exactly what he did. He walked us down memory lane, told us lots of crazy stories, and good stories, and things they did along the way to really advocate for birth rights and midwives in their area. Dr. Darrell Martin is a gynecologist, a dedicated healthcare advocate with four decades of expertise in women's health, and the author of the bestselling memoir, “In Good Hands: A Doctor's Story of Breaking Barriers for Midwifery and Birth Rights.” His dedication to patient care and choice propelled him to testify before Congress, championing the rights of Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) and advocating for patients' freedom to select their healthcare providers. A standout moment in his career was his fervent support for nurse-midwifery in Nashville, Tennessee, showcasing his commitment to advancing the profession. Additionally, Dr. Martin takes great pride in having played a pivotal role, in like I said, more than 5,000 births, marking a legacy of life and joy he has helped bring into the world.Our interview was wonderful. We really walked down what he had seen and what he had gone through to testify before Congress. We also talked about being safe with your provider, and the time that he put into his patients. We know that today we don't have the time with our providers and a lot of time with OBs because of hospital time and restricting how many patients they see per day and all of those things. But really, he encourages you to find a provider who you feel safe with and trust. I am excited for you guys to hear today's episode. I would love to hear what your thoughts were, but definitely check out the book, “In Good Hands: A Doctor's Story of Breaking Barriers for Midwifery and Birth Rights.”Meagan: Okay, you guys. I really am so excited to be recording with Dr. Martin today. We actually met a month ago from the time of this recording just to chitchat and get a better feel for one another. I hung up and was like, “Yes. Yes. I am so excited to be talking with Dr. Martin. You guys, he has been through quite the journey which you can learn a lot more about in more depth through his book. We are going to talk right there really quick. Dr. Martin, welcome to the show. Can we dive into your book very first? Dr. Darrell Martin: Surely. Thank you. Meagan: Yeah. I think your book goes with who you are and your history, so we will cover both. Dr. Darrell Martin: Okay, okay. Meagan: Tell us more. Darrell Martin's book is “In Good Hands”. First of all, I have to say that I love the picture. It's baby's little head. It's just so awesome. Okay, we've got “In Good Hands: A Doctor's Story of Breaking Barriers for Midwifery and Birth Rights.” Just right there, that title is so powerful. I feel like with VBAC specifically, if we are going to dive into VBAC specifically, there are a lot of barriers that need to be broken within the world of birth. We need to keep understanding our birth rights. We also have had many people who have had their rights taken away as midwives. They can't even help someone who wants to VBAC in a lot of areas. A lot of power is in this book. Tell us a little bit more about this book and how it came about. Dr. Darrell Martin: Well, the book came because of patients. As I was heading into my final run prior to retirement, that last 6-8 months, and I use that term, but it shouldn't be patient. It should be client because patient would imply that they have an illness. Occasionally, they do have some problems, but in reality, they are first the client wanting a service. I thought my role as to provide this service and listen to them about what that was and what they wanted to have occur. In response to the question of what was I going to do when I retired, I just almost casually said, “I'm going to write a book.” The book evolved into the story of my life because so much of the patients and clients when they would come to me were sharing their life, and they were sharing what was going on in their life. Amazingly, it was always amazing to me that in 3 or 4 minutes of an initial meeting, they would sometimes open up about their deepest, darkest secrets and it was a safe place for them to share. I always was blown away with that. I respected that. Many times there were friends of my wife who would come in. I would not dare share a single thing notwithstanding the fact that there were HIPAA regulations, but the right thing was they were sharing with me their life. I thought, “I'm going to turn that around as much as I can by sharing my life with them.” It was an homage to that group of individuals so I would like them to see where I was coming from as I was helping them. That was the goal. That was the intent. Secondarily, for my grandchildren and hopefully the great-grandchildren that come whether I'm here or not because including them with that was the history of my entire American heritage and my grandfather coming over or as we would call him Nono, coming over to the United States and to a better place to better a life for his family. Our name was changed from Marta to Martin at Ellis Island. I wanted that story of his sacrifice for his family and subsequently my uncles' sacrifice and my parents' sacrifice for the priority they placed on families. That was for my children as well and grandchildren. There were a lot of old pictures that we had that we pulled out and that didn't occur in the book because there wasn't enough money to produce a lot of those pictures into the book, but they will be there in a separate place for my kids and grandkids. It was a two-fold reason to do the book. It started just as a narrative. I started typing away. The one funny ironic, and I don't know if ironic is the right word, story as I was growing up, is that people as my why I become an OB/GYN. I'm sure this was not the reason, but it's interesting as I reflected that growing up, it was apparently difficult for my mother to have me. I was her only child. She always would say I was spoiled nice, but I was definitely spoiled. When she was mad at me, the one thing she would say, and I didn't understand it until much later when I was actually probably in medical school, was that I was a dry birth and I was breech, and I just ruined her bottom. When she really got aggravated occasionally, she would say those little words to me as I was probably a teenager. Then on reflection, I became an OB/GYN so I really understood what she was saying then. Meagan: It was interesting that you said the words “dry birth” because my mom, when my water broke with my second, she was telling me that I was going to have this dry birth. She was like, “If you don't go in, you're going to have this dry birth.” So many people I have said that to are like, “What? I have never heard of that in my entire life,” and you just said that, so it really was a thing. It really was something that was said. Dr. Darrell Martin: Yes. It was a term back then in the late 40s to late 50s I guess. Meagan: Crazy. So you were inspired. You decided to do the OB route. Tell us a little bit of how that started and then how you changed over the years. Dr. Darrell Martin: Well, when I was in med school, and I went to West Virginia University Medical School, principally, it was fortunate because I would say in retrospect, they were probably lower middle class. I had the opportunity to go to West Virginia. Literally, my tuition per semester was $500. Meagan: Oh my gosh. Dr. Darrell Martin: My parents didn't have to dig into money they didn't have. They never had to borrow any money, so I was fortunate. I did have a scholarship to college. They didn't have to put out the money with the little they had saved. The affordability was there and never an issue. I went to West Virginia, and in my second year, I guess I connected a little bit with some of the docs and some of the chair of the department in West Virginia, Dr. Walter Bonnie, who I didn't realize at the time had left. He was the chairman of Vanderbilt before he was the chairman of West Virginia so now I understand why he was pointing me to either go to Vanderbilt or to Duke. I think I'm fortunate that I went to Vanderbilt. In spite of everything that happened, it was the path I was supposed to take. I did a little rotation as a 2nd-year medical student with some private OBs. I was just amazed. I was enthralled by the intervention of the episiotomies I observed. I said, “Well, you're going to learn how to sew.” What really struck me was that I went into this. I still can picture it. It was a large room where there were probably four or six women laboring. They had almost one of the baby beds. They had the thing where you can pull up the sides so someone couldn't get out of the bed. I couldn't figure out why someone in labor was like this. There was a lady there. I'll never forget. She had been given scopolamine which is the amnesiac which was often used where women sometimes don't even know where they are. They don't even have memory of where they are. She was underneath the bed on all fours barking like a dog. I asked him, “Why are you not going to let her husband in here?” They were saying things they probably shouldn't say under the influence of these crazy drugs. It made me start thinking even from that point on, “Why are they doing this? Why are they zapping them so much in the way of drugs?” Then I didn't see or understand fetal monitoring. We didn't have it at West Virginia. It came in my residency. It had just come in the first year prior to that, and the new maternal-fetal head at Vanderbilt brought in fetal monitoring. He had done some of the original research with Dr. Han at Yale. What I was doing a medical student during my rotations was sitting at the bedside. That's what we as medical students were responsible to do. Sit at the bedside. Palpate the abdomen. Sit with the fetoscope, the little one you stick around your head and put down, and count the heartbeats. We would be there six or eight hours. We were responsible for drawing all of the blood, but more importantly, we were there observing labor. Albeit, they weren't allowed to get up, but it was just the connection and I loved that connection. I loved that sense of connecting with people, and then that evolved into you connecting with them when they come back for their visits. I've had quite a few people who I've seen for 20, 30, 35 years annually. That became a much more than just doing a pelvic exam, blah, blah, blah. It became a connection. It was a communication of, “What's going on in your life? What's happening?” Meagan: A true friendship. Dr. Darrell Martin: Yes. Meagan: It became true friendships with these parents and these mothers. I think that says a lot about you as a provider. Yeah. That makes us feel more connected and safe. Dr. Darrell Martin: Yeah. I desperately miss that. I still miss that as a vocation and that connection. I would look forward to it. I would look on the schedule, “Who's coming in?” I could remember things about them that we would deal with for 15 years or more. One client of mine who, we would begin by, “How are you doing?” We would still go back to when her son was at a college in Florida and was on a bicycle and got hit and killed. We were relating and discussing that 15 years later. It was a place where she knew that we would go back to that point and talk a little bit about her feelings and it's much more important to me. If everything's fine doing a breast exam and doing a pelvic exam, listening to the heart and lungs, that's all normal and perfunctory. It's important, but what's really important is that connection. My goal also was, if I could, to leave the person as they went out the door laughing and to try to say something to cheer them up, to be entertaining, not to make light of their situation if obviously they had a bad problem, but still to say as they would leave with a smile on their face or a little laugh, but the funny one, I still remember this. We had instituted all of these forms. It would drive me crazy if I went to the doctor. We had all of these forms with all of these questions. They were repetitive every year. You just couldn't say that it was the same. She came in. She was laughing. She said, “These forms are crazy. It's asking me do I have a gun at home?” I said, thinking about it, in my ignorance, I hadn't reviewed every single question of these 15 pages that they were going to get. I'm sure it was about depression and to pick up on depression if they have a gun at home. She laughed. She said, “The young lady who was asking me the questions said, ‘Do you have a gun at home?' I said, ‘No, I have it right here in my purse. Would you like to see it?'” Meagan: Oh my gosh. Dr. Darrell Martin: So it was just joking about how she really got the person flustered who was asking the question. Sometimes we ask questions in those forms that are a little over the top. Meagan: Yeah. What I'm noticing is that you spent time with your patients not even just to get to know them, but you really wanted to get to know them. You didn't just do the checked boxes and the forms. It was to really get to know them. We talked about finding a good practice last time. What does that look like? What can we do? What are things to do? What is the routine that is normal for every provider's office or is there a normal routine for every provider's office? From someone coming in and wanting an experience like what you provide, how can we look for that? How can we seek that?Dr. Darrell Martin: Well, what you're saying and particularly when it evolves into having a chat, is first trust. you want to trust your provider. If you don't trust, you're anxious. We know that anxiety can produce a lot of issues. I would often tell a client who was already pregnant let's say as opposed to what should be done before they get pregnant. I would say they are getting ready to take a big test, and that test is having a baby. I said, “It's like a pass/fail. You're all going to pass. What do you want to have happen? You need to be comfortable and learn as much as you can and have people alongside you that you trust so that it is a great experience.” The second one, I'm sure you've seen this is that sometimes you just worry that people get so rigid in what they want, and then they feel like a failure if it doesn't happen. We want to avoid that because that can lead to a lot of postpartum depression and things that last. They feel like a failure. That should never happen. That should never happen. They should understand that they have a pathway and a plan. If they trust who's there with them, what ends up happening is okay. It's not that they've been misled which is then where the plan is altered by not a good reason maybe, but it's been altered and it really throws them for a loop. Meagan: Yeah. Dr. Darrell Martin: I think in preparation, first they've got to know what their surroundings are. They start off. Ideally, someone's thinking about getting pregnant before they get pregnant. I've had enough clients who, when we start talking about birth control, and I'll say, “Are you sexually active?” “Yes.” “Are you using anything for birth control?” “No, I don't want to use anything for birth control.” I said, “Do you want to get pregnant?” “No.” I said, “Well, that's not equal. A, you're not having intercourse and B, you're not using anything, so eventually, you're going to get pregnant. You need to start planning for that outcome, but the prep work ahead of time is to know your surrounding. You've got to know what you know and you've got to know what you want. You really should be seeking some advice of close friends who you trust who have been through and experienced it in a positive way. You've got to know what your town where you live is like. Is there one hospital or two hospitals? What are the hospitals like?” Someone told me one time that I should just write a book about what to do before you get pregnant. Meagan: Yeah, well it's a big deal. Before you get pregnant is what really can set us up for the end too because if we don't prep and we're not educating ourselves before, and we don't know what we're getting into, we don't know our options. That can set us up for a less-ideal position. Dr. Darrell Martin: Yeah. I think that's where the role of a doula can come into play. I hate to say it this way, but if they're going to go to the provider's office, they're not going to get that kind of exchange in that length of time to really settle in to what it is what that plan is going to be like. To be honest, most of the providers are not going to spend the time to do that. Meagan: Mhmm, yeah. The experience that you gave in getting to know people on that level is not as likely these days. OBs are limited to 7-10 minutes per visit?Dr. Darrell Martin: That's on a good day probably. Meagan: See? Yeah. Dr. Darrell Martin: You're being really kind right there. You're being really kind. It's just amazing. Sometimes you're a victim of your own success. If you're spending more time, and you're involved with that, then you've got to make a decision in your practice of how many people you're going to see. If you're seeing a certain amount, then the more you see, what's going to happen to them? You have control of your own situation, but then often you feel the need to have other partners and other associates, and then it gets too business-like. Smaller, to me, is better. The only problem with small with obstetrics is we know that if it's a solo practice, for example, someone will say, “I'm going to this doctor here because I want to see he or she the whole time.” I say, “You've got to think about that. Is that person going to be on-call 365 days a year?” Then what happens later on in the pregnancy when that becomes more of a concern to the client, they'll ask. They'll say, “Well, I'm on-call every Thursday and one weekend out of four.” They freak out. They get really anxious. “What's going to happen? I just know you.” They'll say, “I'm on-call on Thursday. I do inductions on Thursday.” So it leads into that path of wanting that provider. So then to get that provider, they're going to be induced. And we know that that at least doubles the rate of C-sections, at least, depending on how patient or not patient they are.Meagan: I was going to say they've got this little ARRIVE trial saying, "Oh, it doesn't. It lowers it. But what people don't really know is how much time these ARRIVE trial patients were really given. And so when you say that time is what is not given, but it's needed for a vaginal birth a lot of the times with these inductions.Dr. Darrell Martin: Yes, yes, if the induction is even indicated to begin with because the quality assurance, a lot of hospitals, you have to justify the induction. But it doesn't really happen that way. I mean, if there's a group of physicians that are all doing the same thing, they're not going to call each other out.Meagan: Yeah.Dr. Darrell Martin: It's just going to continue to happen is there're 39 weeks. I love how exactly they know how big the baby's going to be. But even more importantly, how big can this person have? I mean, there are no correlations. There are no real correlations. I can remember before ultrasound, we were taught pelvimetry. the old X-ray and you see what the inner spinous distance is, but you still don't know for sure what size has going to come through there.Meagan: Oh right. Well, and we know that through movement, which what you were seeing in the beginning of your OB days in your schooling, they didn't move. They put them in the bed. They put them in a bed and sat them in the bed. So now we're seeing movement, but there's still a lack of education in position of baby. And so we're getting the CPD diagnosis left and right and being told that we'll never get a baby out of our pelvis or our baby's too large to fit through it, when in a lot of situations it's just movement and changing it up and recognizing a baby in a poor position. An asynclitic baby is not going to have as easy as a time as a baby coming down in an OA, nice, tucked position. Right?Dr. Darrell Martin: Exactly. Exactly. There was the old Friedman Curve and if you went off the Friedman Curve, I was always remarked it's 1.2 centimeters, I think prime at 1.5 per hour. But I can never figure out what 0.2 two was when you do a pelvic exam. What is that really? Is the head applied against the cervix? So it's all relative. It's not that exact. But no, I think that if a person could find a person they trust who knows the environment, I think that's where the value of a really good doula can help because they're emotionally connected to the couple, but they're not as connected as husband and wife are or someone else.Meagan: Or a sister or a friend.Dr. Darrell Martin: Yes. And that may be their first shot at that sister of being in a room like that other maybe her own child. It's nice to have someone with a lot more experience that can stand in the gap when they're emotionally distraught, maybe the husband is. He's sweating it out. He's afraid of what he's going to say sometimes. And then she's hurting and she needs that person who can be just subjective to  stand in the gap for her when they're trying to push the buttons in the wrong direction or play on their emotions a little too much.Meagan: Yeah. I love that you pointed that out. We actually talked about that in our course because a lot of people are like, "Oh, no, it's okay. I can just hire my friend or my sister." And although those people are so wonderful, there is something very different about having a doula who is trained and educated and can connect with you, but also disconnect and see other options over here.So we just kind of were going a little bit into induction and things like that. And when we talked a couple weeks ago, we talked about why less is better when it comes to giving medicine or induction to VBAC or not. We talked about it impeding the natural process. Can you elaborate more on that? On both. Why less is more, but then also VBAC and induction. What's ideal for that? What did you use back then?Dr. Darrell Martin: Well, we're going back a long time.Meagan: No, I know, I know.Dr. Darrell Martin: We're going back a long time. See, that would be like what you just did was give me about three questions in one that would be like being on a defensive stand on trial. And then you're trying to figure out where the attorney going, and he sets you up with three questions in one, and then you know you're in trouble when he does that.Meagan: I'm finding that I'm really good at doing that. Asking one question with three questions or five questions?Dr. Darrell Martin: Yes.Meagan: So, okay, let's talk about less is more. Why is less more?Dr. Darrell Martin: Well, first of all, you can observe the natural process of labor. Anytime you intervene with whatever medication-wise or epidural-wise, you're altering the natural course. I mean, that to me it just makes sense. I mean, those things never occurred years ago. So you are intervening in a natural course. And you then have got to factor that in to see how much is that hindering the labor process? Would it have been hindered if you hadn't done that? If you'd allow them to walk, if you allowed them to move? The natural observation of labor makes a lot more sense than the intervention where you've then got to figure out, is the cause of the arrest of labor, so to speak, is it because of the intervention or was it really going to occur?Meagan: Light bulb.Dr. Darrell Martin: Yes.Meagan: That's an interesting concept to think about.Dr. Darrell Martin: Yeah. And you want to be careful because it's another little joke. I say you just don't want to give the client/patient a silver bullet. Often I've had husbands say, "Well, they don't need any medicines." You have to be careful what you're saying because you're not the one in labor. But I wouldn't say that quite to them. But they got the picture really quickly when their wife, their spouse, lashed back out at them.Meagan: Yeah.Dr. Darrell Martin: So you can come over here and sit and see how you like it. I can still remember doing a Lamaze class with Sandy, and we also did Bradley class because I wanted to experience it all. She was the first person to deliver at Vanderbilt without any medication using those techniques. And when we would do that little bit of teaching, I can remember doing that when they would try to show a guy by pinching him for like 30 seconds and increasing the intensities to do their breathing, maybe they should have had something else pinched to make them realize-- Meagan: How intense.Dr. Darrell Martin: Yeah. How intense it isMeagan: Yeah.Dr. Darrell Martin: We can't totally experience it. So we have to be empathetic and balance that. And that's where, to me, having that other person can be helpful because I'm sure that that person who is the doula would be meeting and with them multiple times in the antepartum course as opposed to they go into labor and if there's a physician delivery, chances are their support person is going to be a nurse they've never met before or maybe multiple ones who come in and out and in and out and in and out, and they're not there like someone else would be. To me that's suboptimal, but that's the way it works. And I observed the first birth. I didn't tell the people at the hospital for my daughter-in-law that I was an obstetrician.Meagan: And yeah you guys, a little backstory. He was a doula at his daughter-in-law's birth.Dr. Darrell Martin: Yes. But her first birth did not turn out that well at an unnamed hospital. She didn't want to come to my practice because they weren't married that long and that's getting into their business a little bit. Plus, she lived on the north side of town and I was on the south side. So she chose, a midwifery group, but the midwife was not in there very much. I mean, she was responsible. They were doing probably 15 to 20 births per midwife.Meagan: Wow.Dr. Darrell Martin: They were becoming like a resident, really. They were not doing anything a whole lot differently. And then she had a fourth degree, and she then, in my opinion, got chased out of the hospital the next day and ended up turning around a day later and coming back with preeclampsia. I heard she had some family history of hypertension. I had to be careful because I'm the father-in-law. I'm saying, "Well, maybe you shouldn't go home." And then she ends up going back. And she didn't have HELLP syndrome, but she was pretty sick there for a day or two. That was unfortunate because she went home, and then she had to go right back and there's the baby at home because the baby can't go back into the hospital. And so her second birth, because it was such a traumatic experience with the fourth degree, she elected to use our group and wanted one of my partners to electively section her. She did the trauma of that fourth degree. That was so great. So she did. But obviously, she had a proven pelvis because she had a first vaginal delivery. And then she came to me and she said, "I want to do a VBAC." And so I said, "Oh, that's great." And so one of my partners was there with her, but my son got a little bit antsy and a little bit sick, so he kind of left the room. I was the support person through the delivery. That was my opportunity to be a doula. And of course, she delivered without any medication and without an episiotomy and did fine. Meagan: Awesome.Dr. Darrell Martin: And a bigger baby than the one that was first time.Meagan: Hey, see? That's awesome. I love that.Dr. Darrell Martin: Yes.Meagan: So it happens.So we talked a little bit about midwives, and we talked about right here "A Doctor's Story of Breaking Barriers for Midwifery". Talk to us about breaking barriers for midwifery. And what are your thoughts one on midwives, but two, midwives being restricted to support VBAC?Dr. Darrell Martin: Okay, that's two questions again.Meagan: Yep. Count on me to do that to you.Dr. Darrell Martin: I'll flip to the second one there. I think it's illogical to not allow a midwife to be involved with a VBAC. That makes no sense to me at all because if anybody needs more observation in the birth process, it would potentially or theoretically actually be someone who's had a prior C-section. Right? There's a little bit more risk for a rupture that needs more observation, doesn't need someone in and out, in and out of the room. The physician is going to be required to be in-house or at least when we were doing them, they were required to be in house and there was the ability to do a section pretty quickly. But observation can really mitigate that rush, rush, rush, rush, rush. I've had midwives do breeches with me and I've had them do vaginal twins. If I'm there, they can do it just as well as I can. I'm observing everything that's happening and they should know how to do shoulder dystocia. One thing that you cannot be totally predictive of and doctors don't have to be in the hospital for the most part in hospitals. Hopefully, there probably are some where they're required, but it makes no sense and they're able to do those. So if I'm there observing because the hospital is going to require that, and I think that's not a bad thing. I never would be opposed or would never advocate that I shouldn't be there for a VBAC. But I think to have the support person and that be the midwife is going to continue and do the delivery, I think that's great. There's no logic of what they're going to do unless that doctor is just going to decide that they're going to play a midwife role and that they're going to be there in that room. They're advocating that role to a nurse or multiple nurses who the person doesn't know, never met them before, and so that trust is not there. They're already stressed. The family's stressed. There are probably some in-laws or relatives out there and they say, "Well, you're crazy. Why are you doing this for? Why don't you just have a section?" Everybody has an opinion, right? So there's a lot of family. I would observe that they're sitting out there and we've got into that even back then that's a society that some of them don't want to be there, but they feel obliged to be out there waiting for a birth to occur. Right. When four hours goes by, "Oh, oh, there must be a problem. Why aren't they doing something?" You hear that all the time. I try to say, "Well, first labor can be 16 to 20 hours." "16 to 20 hours?" and then they think, "I'm going to be here for that long."Meagan: Yeah.Dr. Darrell Martin: So there's always that push at times from family about things aren't moving quickly.Meagan: Right.Dr. Darrell Martin: They're moving naturally, but their frame of reference is not appropriate for what's occurring. They don't really understand. And so that's the answer. Yes. I think that it makes no sense that midwives are not involved. That does not make any sense at all.So the first part of the question was what happened with me and midwives?Meagan: Well, breaking barriers for midwifery. There are so many people out there who are still restricted to not be able to support VBAC. I mean, we have hospital midwives here in Utah that can't even support VBAC. The OBs are just completely restricting them. What do you mean when you say breaking barriers for midwifery and birth rights?Dr. Darrell Martin: Okay, what I meant was this is now in late 1970, 79, 80. And I'd observe midwifery care because as residents, we were taking care of individuals at three different hospitals, one of which was Nashville General, which was a hospital where predominantly that was indigent care, women with no insurance. And we had a program there with midwives.Dr. Darrell Martin: And so we were their backup. I was their backup for my senior residency, chief residency, and subsequently, as an attending because I was an attending teaching medical students and residents and really not teaching midwives, just observing them if they needed anything, within the house most of the time, principally for the medical students and the junior residents. But I saw their outcomes, how great they were. I saw the connection that occurred. We didn't have a residency program where you saw the same people every time then. It was just purely a rotation. You would catch people and it just became seeing 50 or 75 people and just try to get them in and out. But then you observe over here and watch what happens with the midwifery group and the lack of intervention and the great outcomes because they had to keep statistics to prove what they were doing. Right? Meagan: Yeah, yeah. I'm sure. Dr. Darrell Martin: They were required to do that, and you would see that the outcomes were so much better. Then it evolved because a lot of those women over the course of the years prior to me being there and has evolved while I was there, I was befriended by one midwife. She was a nurse in labor and delivery who then went on to midwifery school. We became really close friends. Her family and my family became very close. They had people, first of all, physicians' wives who wanted to use them and friends in the neighborhood who wanted to use them, but they had insurance and people that had delivered there who then were able to get a job and had insurance and wanted to use them again, but they couldn't at the indigent hospital. You had to not have insurance. So there was no vehicle for them in Nashville to do birth. We advocated for a new program at Vanderbilt where they could do that and at the same time do something that's finally occurring now and that's how midwives teach medical students and teach residents normal birth because that's the way you develop the connection that moves on into private practice is they see their validity at that level and that becomes a really essentially part of what they want to do when they leave. They don't see them as competition as much. Still, sometimes it's competition. So anyhow, at that point, our third hospital was relatively new. The Baptist private hospital run by the private doctors where the deliveries at that point were the typical ones with amnesiac, no father in the room, an episiotomy, and forceps. So when we tried to do the program, the chairman-- and we subsequently found some of this information out. It wasn't totally aware at the time. They were given a choice by the private hospital. Either you continue to have residents at the private hospital or you have the midwifery private program at Vanderbilt. But you can't have both. If you're going to do that, you can't have residence over here. So they were using the political pressure to stop it from happening. Then I said, they approached myself and the two doctors, partners, I was working with in Hendersonville which is a little suburb north of town. We had just had a new hospital start there and we were the only group so that gave us a lot of liberties. I mean, we started a program for children of birth with birthing rooms, no routine episiotomies, all walking in labor, and all the things you couldn't do downtown. Well, the problem was we wanted midwives in into practice but we didn't have the money to pay them. We were brand new. So we had a discussion and they said, "Well, we want to start our own business." And I said, "Oh." And I kind of joked, I said, "Well that's fine, I can be your employee then." And that was fine for us. I mean, we had no problem being their consultant because someone asked, "Well, how can you let that happen?" I said, "We still have control of the medical issues. We can still have a discussion and they can't run crazy. They're not going to do things that we don't agree with just because they're paying for the receptionists and they're taking ownership of their practice." So they opened their doors on Music Row in Nashville.Meagan: Awesome.Dr. Darrell Martin: But as soon as that started happening and they announced it, at that time, the only insurance carrier for malpractice in the state of Georgia was State Volunteer Mutual which was physician-owned because of the crisis so they couldn't get any insurance the other way a physician couldn't unless it was through the physician-owned carrier. Well, one of the persons who was just appointed to the board was a, well I would call an establishment old-guard, obstetrician/gynecologist from Nashville. And he said in front of multiple people that he was going to set midwifery back 100 years, and he was going to get my malpractice insurance. He was going to take my malpractice insurance away.Meagan: Wow.Dr. Darrell Martin: For practicing with midwife. And that was in the spring of the year. Well, by October of that year, he did take my malpractice insurance. They did.Meagan: Wow. For working with midwives? Dr. Darrell Martin: For risks of undue proportion. Yes. The Congressman for one of the midwives was Al Gore, and in December of that year we had a congressional hearing in D.C. where we testified. The Federal Trade Commission got involved. The Federal Trade Commission had them required the malpractice carrier to open their books for five years. And what that did was it stopped attacks across the United States. There were multiple attacks going on all across the country trying to block midwives from practicing independently or otherwise. And so from 1980-83, when subsequently a litigation was settled, the malpractice carrier, including the physicians who were involved, all admitted guilt before it went to the Supreme Court. I went through a few years there and that's where you see some of those stories where I was blackballed and had to figure out a place where I was going to work. I almost went back to school. This is a little funny story. I was pointed in the direction of Dr. Miller who was the head of Maternal Child Health at Chapel Hill University of North Carolina. I didn't realize that then two months later, he testified before Congress as well because he wanted me to come there. I interviewed and then I would get my PhD and do the studies that would disprove all the routine things that physicians were doing to couples. I would run those studies. It was a safe space. It was a safe place, a beautiful place in Chapel Hill. So he told me, he said, "You need to meet with my manager assistant and she'll talk to you about your stipend, etc." Now I had three children under four years of age.Meagan: Wow, you were busy.Dr. Darrell Martin: Well, the first one was adopted through one of the friends I was in school with, so we had two children seven months apart because Sandy was pregnant and had like four or five miscarriages before.Meagan: Wow.Dr. Darrell Martin: So I had three under four. So she proceeded to say, "Well Dr. Martin, this is great. Here's your stipend and I have some good news for you." I said, "Well, what's that?" He said, "Well, you're going to get qualified for food stamps." That's good news? Okay. So I'm trying to support my three children and my wife. I said, "I can't do that. As much as I would love to go to this safe place," and Chapel Hill would have been a safe place because it would have been an academia, but then I had to find a place to work. So it was just how through my faith, it got to the point where know ending up in Atlanta, I was able to not only do everything I wanted to do, but one of the midwives that I worked with, Vicki Henderson Bursman won the award from the midwifery college. And the year after, I received the Lewis Hellman Award for supporting midwives from ACOG and AC&M. But we prayed. We said, "One day we're going to work together." And this was 1980. In 93, when we settled the lawsuit, we reconnected. I was chairman of a private school, and we hired her husband to come to Atlanta to work at the school. Two weeks, three weeks later, I get a call from the administrator of the hospital in Emory who was running the indigent project at the hospital we were working at teaching residents. They said that they wanted to double the money. Their contract was up and they wanted double what they had been given. So the hospital refused and they asked me to do the program. We didn't have any other place to go. And then what was happening? Well, Rick was coming to Atlanta, but so was Vicki. So Vicki, who I hadn't worked with for 13 years, never was able to work, came and for the next 20 years, worked in Atlanta with me. And we did. She ran basically the women's community care project, and then also worked in the private practice. And then the last person, Susie Soshmore, who was the other midwife, really couldn't leave Nashville. She was much, much more, and rightly so, she was bitter about what happened and never practiced midwifery. Her husband was retiring. She decided since they were going to Florida to Panama City, that she wanted to get back and actually start doing midwifery, but she needed to be re-credentialed. So she came and spent six months with us in Atlanta as we re-credentialed her and she worked with us. So ultimately we all three did get to work together.Meagan: That's awesome. Wow. What a journey. What a journey you have been on.Dr. Darrell Martin: Yeah, it was quite a journey.Meagan: Yeah. It's so crazy to me to hear that someone would actively try to make sure that midwifery care wasn't a thing. It's just so crazy to me, and I think it's probably still happening. It's probably still happening here in 2024. I don't know why midwives get such a bad rap, but like you said, you saw with the studies, their outcomes were typically better. Dr. Darrell Martin: Yeah.Meagan: Why are we ignoring that?Dr. Darrell Martin: Doctors were pretty cocky back then. They may be more subtle about what they do now because to overtly say they're going to get your malpractice insurance, that's restricted trade.Meagan: Yeah. That's intense.Dr. Darrell Martin: Intense. Well, it's illegal to start with.Meagan: Yeah, yeah, yeah, right?Dr. Darrell Martin: If you attack the doctor, you get the midwife. They tried to attack the policies and procedures. That was the other thing they were threatening to do was, "Well, if you still come here, we're going to close the birthing room. We're going to require women to stay flat in bed. We require episiotomies. We require preps and enemas." Well, they wouldn't require episiotomies, but certainly preps and enemas and continuous monitoring just to make it uncomfortable and another way to have midwives not want to work there.Meagan:  Yes. I just want to Do a big eye-roll with all of that. Oh my goodness. Well, thank you so much for taking the time and sharing your history and these stories and giving some tips on trusting our providers and hiring a doula. I mean, we love OBs too, but definitely check out midwives and midwives, if you're out there and you're listening and you want to learn how to get involved in your community, get involved with supportive OBs like Dr. Martin and you never know, there could be another change. You could open a whole other practice, but still advocate for yourself.I'm trying to think. Are there any final tips that you have for our listeners for them on their journey to VBAC?Dr. Darrell Martin: Well, pre-pregnancy that next time around, we know very quickly that the weight of the baby is controlled by heredity which you really essentially have no control over that including who your husband is. If he's 6'5", 245, their odds are going to be that the baby might be a little bigger. However, you do have control what your pre-pregnancy weight is, and if you get your BMI into a lower range, we know statistically that the baby's probably going to be a little bit smaller, and that gives you a better shot. You don't have control of when you deliver, but you do have control of your weight gain during the pregnancy and you do have control of what your pre-pregnancy weight, which are also factors in the size of the baby. So control what you can control, and trust the rest that it's going to work out the way it should.Meagan:  Yeah, I think just being healthy, being active, getting educated like you said, pre-pregnancy. It is empowering to be educated and prepared both physically, emotionally, and logistically like where you're going, and who you're seeing. All of that before you become pregnant. It really is such a huge benefit. So thank you again for being here with us today. Can you tell us where we can find your book?Dr. Darrell Martin: Yeah, it's available on Amazon. It's available at Books A Million. It's available at Barnes and Noble. So all three of the major sources.Meagan:  Some of the major sources. Yeah. We'll make sure to link those in the show notes. If you guys want to hear more about Dr. Martin's journey and everything that he's got going on in that book, we will have those links right there so you can click and purchase. Thank you so much for your time today.Dr. Darrell Martin: Thank you. I enjoyed it and it went very quickly. It was enjoyable talking to you.Meagan:  It did, didn't it? Just chatting. It's so fun to hear that history of what birth used to be like, and actually how there are still some similarities even here in 2024. We have a lot to improve on. Dr. Darrell Martin: Absolutely, yes. Meagan:  But it's so good to hear and thank you so much for being there for your clients and your customers and patients, whatever anyone wants to call them, along the way, because it sounds like you were really such a great advocate for them.Dr. Darrell Martin: Well, we tried. We tried. It was important that they received the proper care, and that we served them appropriately, and to then they fulfill whatever dream they had for that birth experience or be something they would really enjoy.Meagan:  Yes. Well, thank you again so much.Dr. Darrell Martin: Okay, thank you. I enjoyed talking to you. Good luck, and have fun.Meagan: Thank you.Dr. Darrell Martin: Bye-bye.Meagan: Thank you. You too. Bye.ClosingWould you like to be a guest on the podcast? Tell us about your experience at thevbaclink.com/share. For more information on all things VBAC including online and in-person VBAC classes, The VBAC Link blog, and Meagan's bio, head over to thevbaclink.com. Congratulations on starting your journey of learning and discovery with The VBAC Link.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vbac-link/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

#PANAMA: PRC money and influence and projects well established in Mulino government.  Confucius Institute in downtown Panama City. Michael Yon michaelyon.substack.com 1886 Isthmus of Darien (Panama)

As many of you know, I've been a resident of Panama for over five years, and I'm now in the process of pursuing my Panamanian citizenship. In today's episode, I share an update on my latest (and somewhat nerve-wracking...) step in this journey. If you're one of many listeners considering a second citizenship in Panama, you'll definitely want to hear about this part of the process. I also provide a recap of my recent trip to Brazil, where I met with a business partner and toured an exciting real estate project. Brazil has so much to offer in terms of investment opportunities, and I'm thrilled to share a little bit more about the region I am investing in.  Enjoy today's episode, and I'll see you right back here next Wednesday! THE WEALTH, FREEDOM & PASSPORTS CONFERENCE IN PANAMA MARCH 14-15 Join us in Panama in less than two months for the inaugural Wealth, Freedom & Passports Conference, our first-ever large conference event, taking place in Panama City, Panama, March 14-15, 2025! This is your chance to gain invaluable insights, connect with like-minded freedom seekers, and, most importantly, connect with 15+ of the most trusted partners necessary to secure a prosperous life offshore. Head to ExpatMoney.com/Conference to learn more and secure your spot right away! STAY UP-TO-DATE ON THE EXPAT WORLD Sign up for any of our newsletters, like the EMS Pulse and the Expat Sunday Times, to stay up-to-date with a steady stream of news and my opinions on the expat world. Download my FREE special report, “Plan B Residencies and Instant Citizenships,” today, and you'll be signed up for both! RELATED EPISODES 328: 5 Years As An Expat In Panama  322: Expat News: Panama Keeps Investor Visa Price, Trump to End Double Taxation Of Expats? 283: Panama Healthcare: A Personal Case Study ReportMentioned in this episode:TICKETS NOW ON SALEJoin us March 14-15th, 2025, live in Panama City for the Wealth, Freedom & Passports Conference. Take your Plan-B to the next level; tickets are limited. Wealth, Freedom & Passports ConferenceTICKETS NOW ON SALEJoin us March 14-15th, 2025, live in Panama City for the Wealth, Freedom & Passports Conference. Take your Plan-B to the next level; tickets are limited. Wealth, Freedom & Passports Conference

When Donald Trump criticized Panama for its management of the canal that he claimed had fallen under Chinese control, many people at first thought this was just another round of Trump's usual bluster. But since his election last November, the President has been relentless in pressuring the government in Panama City and shows no signs of backing down until all Chinese entities have been expelled from the canal zone. Alonso Illueca, an associate law professor at the Universidad Santa María La Antigua and a specialist in China-Panama relations, joins Eric & Cobus from Panama City to discuss the escalating crisis and why the government doesn't have a lot of options to push back against the U.S. JOIN THE DISCUSSION: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @stadenesque  Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social FOLLOW CGSP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC: Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Arabic: عربي: www.alsin-alsharqalawsat.com | @SinSharqAwsat JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth  

Today we have Dr. Frank Butler, a retired Navy Undersea Medical Officer and an ophthalmologist who served as a Navy SEAL platoon commander prior to attending medical school. Just a few weeks after our interview, President Joe Biden awarded Frank a Presidential Citizens Medal during a White House ceremony. The medal is one of the highest honors a civilian can receive and recognized Frank's many contributions to civilian and military trauma care. Frank is credited with founding Tactical Combat Causality Care, also known as TC Three, which has transformed battlefield medical care and saved thousands of lives.  TCCC is now used throughout the U.S. military and much of the world. In today's interview, we talk to Frank about his recent book, “Tell Them Yourself: It's Not Your Day to Die,” which describes the challenges and improvements TCCC has experienced over the past three decades. Frank spent most of his 26-year career in Navy Medicine supporting the Special Operations community. He served a five-year stint as a Diving Medical Research officer at the Navy Experimental Diving Unit in Panama City, Fla., where he helped develop many of the diving techniques and procedures used by Navy SEALs today. Show notes: [00:03:31] Dawn opens the interview asking Frank what it was like growing up in Savannah, Ga., in the 50s and 60s. [00:04:40] Dawn asks Frank about his father, who was an industrial engineer, and who became director of urban housing in Savannah during a time when the city was developing public housing. [00:05:47] Ken asks Frank if it's true that most of his family went into the medical field. [00:06:33] Ken asks Frank about his experience attending a Navy SEALs demonstration during his sophomore year of college. [00:08:09] Dawn asks Frank about his experience going through Navy SEAL training, particularly the Basic Underwater Demolition SEALs School. [00:09:29] Dawn asks if it's true that five people in Frank's family have become Navy SEALs. [00:10:08] Ken explains that after Frank left the SEALs in 1975, he had to figure out what to do next with his life. Frank talks about what led to his decision to go to medical school. [00:11:14] Ken asks Frank how he ended up at Jacksonville Naval Hospital to do an internship in family medicine. [00:11:46] Dawn explains that after Frank's internship, he was assigned to the Navy Experimental Dive Unit. She asks him to talk about this experience. [00:12:25] Frank talks about some of the projects he worked on during this period. [00:14:43] Ken asks Frank how he decided on ophthalmology as his surgical specialization. [00:15:47] Dawn asks Frank what his experience as a resident at Bethesda Naval Hospital was like. [00:16:52] Dawn explains that after Frank completed his residency, he was assigned to Pensacola Naval Hospital. Dawn asks Frank how he ended up becoming the biomedical research director for the Navy SEALs. [00:18:48] Ken mentions that Frank worked on several important projects as research director for the SEALs, including battlefield trauma care, a tactical athlete program, improved treatment of decompression sickness, and the Navy SEAL nutrition guide. Ken begins by asking Frank to talk about his work on the tactical athlete program. [00:20:33] Dawn explains that another one of Frank's projects as research director for the SEALs was the design of the Navy special warfare decompression computer. Dawn asks Frank to explain what a decompression computer does for a diver. [00:21:35] Dawn asks Frank to elaborate on the process of designing this decompression computer and the algorithm as well as the process of getting it approved for the Navy. [00:23:31] Ken asks Frank to talk about a program he worked on to promote refractive surgery. While this program was initially designed to improve combat vision for SEALs, the program has expanded to all active-duty service members, including aviators.

Join Brice and J'tia as they delve into the drama of The Real Housewives of Potomac Season 9, Episode 13, titled “Rum-ble in the Jungle.” In this episode, Wendy leads the group to Panama City for a rum-infused adventure, while tensions rise as Mia's credibility is questioned. Gizelle confronts Mia about her inconsistent stories, leading to heated exchanges and shifting alliances. Brice and J'tia provide insightful commentary on the unfolding dynamics, the impact of trust issues among the housewives, and the entertainment value of the series. Tune in for a lively discussion that breaks down the latest escapades of Potomac's finest.