America – Page 13 – Author Carlo Carrasco

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 32

July 2, 2025June 26, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks, nostalgia buffs and electronic gaming fans!

In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads – including arcade flyers – from the 1980s and 1990s.

For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s and 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.

With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…

1. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Atari 2600 print ad

*I saw the movie and played the Atari 2600 game.*

Way back in 1982, Steven Spielberg’s small production E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial touched countless moviegoers and became a massive hit around the world. Along the way, an official video game adaptation for the Atari 2600 console was made by Atari anticipating big success coming. The above print ad appeared in many comic books I read and the artwork easily caught my attention since I saw the movie. Apart from the fact that the artist’s take on the boy Elliot did not resemble actor Henry Thomas, no screenshot of the game was shown which is very odd because Atari made the adaptation their biggest offering to consumers. As typical of the times, Atari inserted a few other games below for conveniently promoting them along with E.T. and the Atari 2600. Given the massive failure of the game, this print ad is a sad reminder from gaming’s past.

2. Pro Tennis arcade flyer

Still in 1982, Data East released Pro Tennis in the arcades. This arcade flyer has a pretty neat hand-drawn artwork that looked like it came from a comic book, and the ad makers managed to insert one screenshot to make it clear to both players and arcade operators what to expect. This is still a nice flyer to look at.

3. 3-in-1 Atari 2600 print ad

*I was able to play Missile Command, Asteroids and Superman on Atari 2600 a long time ago.*

In the old days, we had an Atari 2600 console in our household and it lasted around 5 years for electronic entertainment. Atari was known for aggressively marketing its consoles and video games, and the above print ad was their creative way of promoting 3 games – Superman and the classics Missile Command and Asteroids – together. The biggest feature of the print ad was the large-sized text description that strongly reflected what each game was about. This is a memorable ad!

4. Super BurgerTime Japanese arcade flyer

Remember the arcade classic BurgerTime? The sequel Super BurgerTime was released in Japanese arcades in late-1990 and the arcade flyer the producers came up with had a very cartoony art style. The rear of the flyer was filled with lots of details, instructions and screenshots to really have arcade operators and players informed. The producer even inserted a new portion promoting BurgerTime Deluxe on Nintendo Game Boy.

5. A Nightmare on Elm Street NES print ad

*If you were able to play this game on the NES, did you have nightmares?*

By the end of the 1980s, there were already five movies of the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise that got released in cinemas and a dedicated following of fans was present. Eventually, an official video game adaptation was released on Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1990 which was surprising since the movies were all rated R and the console itself was popular with young gamers (kids to teenagers). To promote the game, the notorious publisher LJN came up with a print ad that prominently showed series antagonist Freddy Krueger (played by Robert Englund), a few screenshots, the text description and the game box cover. Look back at this old print ad is strange because it shows Freddy Krueger TWICE which means the ad makers could not come up with any original artworks nor a different background for the antagonist.

6. NBA Showdown print ad

*While this ad did not mention Michael Jordan, he was still included in the video game.*

By 1993, EA Sports (Electronic Arts’ sports brand) arguably established itself as the leader of NBA-licensed video games. At the time, console gamers can expect each new NBA game from the publisher to have full rosters and statistics of players based on the season and playoffs that passed. NBA Showdown, which reflected the 1992-93 season, was promoted with this 2-page print ad that had a rectangular image taken during the 1993 NBA Finals (Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns) placed on the left, screenshots and text description on the right. The ad made references to Shaquille O’Neal, Patrick Ewing, Tim Hardaway and other NBA players to excite gamers. This ad is still good to look at.

7. Super Smash T.V. Sega Genesis print ad

*Were you able to play the Sega Genesis version?*

In 1991, the arcade classic Smash T.V. was ported to the Sega Genesis console under the title Super Smash T.V. and this print ad had a rectangular layout showing a zoomed-in capture of game footage with the huge enemy Mutoid Man. The stylized line (in rectangular layout) strongly reflected what gamers could expect in the game. The ad maker also inserted the confirmation that a Game Gear version was coming. This ad is a unique way of promoting both the Genesis and Game Gear versions of Smash T.V.

8. Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure print ad

*This print ad is still eye-catching and entertaining to look at.*

In the mid-1990s, Activision went big with the comeback of the Pitfall! game series by releasing Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure on multiple consoles. This two-page print ad had a touch of dark comedy by using a prominent image of a crocodile swallowing a person while avoiding blood and gore. With the little space remaining, the ad makers crammed in the text description and screenshots plus the game’s package covers. Notably, the text description maintained its tone and focused on describing the game properly. The marketing campaigns of Activision was effective as Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure went on to sell in the millions.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Philippines Lowers Economic Growth Target Amid Global Uncertainty

July 2, 2025June 27, 2025carlocarrasco

As there are more signs of weakness and uncertainty, the economic managers of the Philippines officially lowered their economic growth target this year, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

Economic managers on Thursday revised the economic growth target for this year amid mounting global uncertainties.

At a briefing after the 191st Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) meeting, Budget Secretary and DBCC Chair Amenah Pangandaman said the economic growth assumption for 2025 was revised downward to 5.5 to 6.5 percent from the previous 6 to 8 percent.

For 2026 to 2028, the Philippine economy is projected to expand by 6 to 7 percent, reflecting a more cautious and resilient economic outlook amid global headwinds.

“The revisions take into account heightened global uncertainties, such as the unforeseen escalation of tensions in the Middle East and the imposition of U.S. tariffs,” Pangandaman said.

She said that despite these challenges, the DBCC remains “vigilant and ready to deploy timely and targeted measures” to mitigate their potential impact on the Philippine economy.

The budget chief said the country continues to be one of the fastest-growing economies in ASEAN driven by robust domestic demand.

To maintain this momentum, she highlighted the administration’s focus on structural reforms, including the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy (CREATE MORE) Act and the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Code, both designed to enhance the country’s trade and investment competitiveness.

Pangandaman said the government will also pursue the approval and implementation of other reforms recently ratified by Congress, such as the Liberalizing the Lease of Private Lands by Foreign Investors Act, Enhanced Fiscal Regime for Large-Scale Metallic Mining Act, Accelerated and Reformed Right-of-Way (ARROW) Act, and Konektadong Pinoy Act.

The DBCC also revisited the medium-term macroeconomic assumptions to take into consideration recent global and domestic developments.

The inflation assumption for this year was cut to 2 to 3 percent from the previous 2 to 4 percent. For 2026 to 2028, the inflation assumption was retained at 2 to 4 percent.

For 2025 to 2028, crude oil price assumptions were reduced to USD60 to USD70 per barrel from USD60 to 80 per barrel, despite escalating geopolitical tensions.

The foreign exchange rate is assumed to remain stable, averaging at PHP56 to PHP58 per US dollar from 2025 through 2028, supported by lower domestic inflation.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the economy of the Philippines is lacking momentum to achieve 6% growth this year? Do you think that inflation and unemployment will eventually rise before the year ends? Are you convinced that foreign investors are staying away from the Philippines?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 86

June 30, 2025June 24, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Retrospective look back at Superman (1978) – I don’t know with you readers but I am not excited about the new Superman movie directed by James Gunn. Nowadays I am more nostalgic about DC Comics’ most famous superhero and I have been reading decades-old Superman comic books. As for movies about Superman, the 1978 movie that starred Christopher Reeve remains a classic for long-time fans of the Man of Steel. If you are wondering how much impact does Superman of 1978 have on YouTubers, watch the videos posted below. If you have not seen Superman of 1978 yet, watch it first. Otherwise, enjoy the assorted videos below.

#2 Trump-led America obliterates nuclear sites in Iran – As Israel and terrorist state Iran continued their war, the United States led by President Donald Trump pulled off a significant move by heavily bombing the enemy’s nuclear sites. With the wicked regime of Iran (in power since 1979) substantially weakened, the bombings were very helpful not only to Israel but also to the Iranian people (who did not join their evil government’s terrorism) who had been wanting freedom for a long time. Watch and learn from the related videos below.

#3 PatmanQC examines Tapper – With my digital Xbox copy of Midway Arcade Origins, I was able to play the classic arcade game Root Beer Tapper (AKA Tapper) on my Xbox Series X. I’ve been having a lot of fun playing it and I admire the game’s design and responsive controls. For the newcomers reading this, Tapper was first released in arcades by Midway in the 1980s and made it to many computers and consoles. Not only that, the game has intriguing details behinds its history and there was more than one version of Tapper released. To learn more about the history of Tapper, watch the in-depth video of PatmanQC below.

#4 Unsolved Mysteries Season 5 Episode 8 – As I was doing a round of replaying past episodes of Unsolved Mysteries (hosted by the late Robert Stack), I replayed the 8^th episode of the show’s 5^th season. The said episode has an intriguing story about a man’s close encounter with a UFO in North America, a scandal within Frontera prison, a shocking crime story and updates to previous stories shown. Take time out to watch the entire episode below.

#5 Defiant Comics revisited – If you are into comic books, have you ever heard of Defiant Comics? I would not be surprised if you have not heard of the publisher or if never ready any of its comic books. Founded in 1993 by former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter, Defiant Comics published some comic books that had new and unique concepts (read my reviews of Warriors of Plasm #1 and Charlemagne #1) that went against type. Unfortunately the company went out of business in 1995 as a result of having to spend a lot of money on a legal battle with Marvel Comics. On YouTube, there are not too many retrospective videos about Defiant Comics and I posted below a video that can help you discover comics, cards and details about the said publisher.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 85

June 25, 2025June 21, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 The Cannonball Run revisited by GoodBadFlicks and You, Me and the Movies – Do you enjoy 1980s comedy films? How about a film that has comedy, an all-star cast, lots of cars and lots of stunts? You will find that in The Cannonball Run which was released in 1981 and became a box office hit. The film has a memorable cast including Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore (technically playing James Bond), Farrah Fawcett, Dom DeLuise, Jackie Chan, Adrienne Barbeau, Tara Buckman and others. For your enjoyment, I posted below the recent reaction video by You, Me and the Movies, and a retrospective video by GoodBadFlicks. If you have not seen The Cannonball Run, watch it first (available on Blu-ray format). Otherwise, enjoy the videos below.

#2 PatmanQC examines Super Mario Bros. 3 – When it comes to picking which is the most influential platform game on the Nintendo Family Computer (Famicom)/Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3 are often the most popular choices as both games are really great. While the first game sold a lot more copies worldwide, the third game remains highly significant as it influenced platform game designers for a number of years. Not only that, Super Mario Bros. 3 notably was featured in the 1989 movie The Wizard. To see how Super Mario Bros. 3 was made, what the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto and teammates did and how much of an impact the game had on players, watch the in-depth video of PatmanQC below.

#3 Unsolved Mysteries examines 2001 anthrax attacks – 2001 will always be remembered as a year of uncertainty and chaos. During that year, 9/11 shocked the world which raised public fear about terrorism. Adding further to the shock and fear of the time, the 2001 anthrax attacks happened shortly after 9/11. Suddenly, a lot of people got afraid of touching pieces of mail as the anthrax attacks happened through the distribution system of the US Postal Service. Eventually, the TV series Unsolved Mysteries (hosted by the late Robert Stack) released an episode dramatizing and examining the 2001 anthrax attacks. Before watching the video below, be advised that the details can be quite disturbing.

#4 Examining the so-called success of Xbox RPG Avowed – It has been months since the Obsidian-developed Xbox fantasy role-playing game (RPG) Avowed was released. Shortly after, there were these individuals or publishers that declared the game a success even though there is no evidence to prove it was. This only reminds me of the sad reality that there are a lot of woke activists, Marxists and fake fans who have infiltrated the gaming and entertainment industries which explains the misinformation spreading around us. I played and finished Avowed and I can say that it never lived up to my expectations and the long wait since it was first announced was not worth it. Along the way, it is clear that Obsidian allowed its assigned game makers to add elements of identity politics into Avowed. Externally, there are woke nuts among game journalists, vloggers and bloggers who dedicated themselves to make Avowed look like a smash success even though reality, truth and facts are not on their side. Watch and learn from the selected videos below.

#5 James Gunn’s Superman movie to end up a huge disappointment? – Recently here in the Philippines, director James Gunn, producer Peter Safran, Rachel Brosnahan and David Corenswet arrived to meet the fans as part of their world tour to promote the new Superman movie. Considering how lavish the activities and promotions are, it is simply hard to ignore that Superman of 2025 is looking bound for box office disappointment based on the latest box office analysis and predictions. While RK Outpost examines the weakening Superman box office prospects, Ranting for Vengeance examines the many elements of the James Gunn-directed movie (based on the latest footage shown) that could turn off long-time and genuine Superman fans, and lead to failure. Watch the videos below and pay close attention to the details.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 84

June 20, 2025June 17, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Minty Comedic Arts examines Not Another Teen Movie – As it is undeniably true that Hollywood produced a lot of teen movies from the 1980s into the 1990s, it was inevitable that a parody movie referencing them would get released. 2001’s Not Another Teen Movie did exactly that and by today’s standards, the parody production itself has lots of interesting details to explore which you can see in Minty Comedic Arts’ video below.

#2 Michael Jordan’s memorable moves in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals – Remember when Michael Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to its 6^th NBA championship in 1998? It took him and his team a lot of effort to win over the revenge-hungry Utah Jazz (which had the homecourt advantage) in the NBA Finals of that year. But there’s more! Before the 1997-98 season even started, there was a lot of intrigue and tension behind the scenes within the Chicago Bulls. Not only that, the Indiana Pacers pushed the Bulls to a full seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals. These developments only added more to the build-up of Jordan’s successful leading of his team to the championship and you can discover more by watching the retrospective video of YouTuber Post2k below.

#3 Slope’s Game Room examines Radiant Silvergun and Ikaruga – Have you ever played Radiant Silvergun or its spiritual sequel Ikaruga? Both games were shooters developed by Treasure, and each of them were widely praised by gamers – especially fans of arcade shooters – around the world. Radiant Silvergun arguably revived the shoot-them-up genre in arcades while Ikaruga had more puzzle-inspired elements to its gameplay. To find out who made the games and what were the inspirations behind the game designs, watch the retrospective video of Slope’s Game Room below.

#4 Reaction videos of Jurassic Park III – When Jurassic Park III opened in cinemas in 2001, I was not too excited about it because The Lost World: Jurassic Park was a major disappointment, and my interest in cinematic dinosaurs was weak. I eventually saw the movie at a time when the lineup of movies screened in cinemas was really weak (note: Jurassic Park III was already over a month old in the cinemas) and I got barely entertained. To this day, some Jurassic Park franchise fans are divided over the 3^rd movie’s quality – some found it faster-paced and more fun than its 1997 predecessor while others viewed it as a very rushed side story pretending to be a sequel. That being said, if you want to see how Jurassic Park III impacted YouTubers, watch the reaction videos (and video review) below.

#5 You, Me and the Movies react to The Thing (1982) – When The Thing was first released in 1982, the reception from movie critics was negative and the film ended up grossing less than $20 million in the American box office. The movie found its audience on home video, cable TV and television and through the decades, its reputation with moviegoers improved dramatically. Some even called it one of the best science fiction and horror films of all time. If you are wondering how The Thing impacts today’s YouTubers, watch the reaction video of You, Me and the Movies.

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What you need to know about the war between Israel and Iran

June 18, 2025June 17, 2025carlocarrasco

As some of you are already aware, I fully stand with Israel which is very connected with my uncompromising faith in the Lord. I keep on praying to Him for Israel to overwhelm its enemies, rescue the hostages and recover from the effects of the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks committed by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas. I can assure all of you that nobody from the evil Islamo-Leftist mob, nobody from the pro-Palestine radicals, nobody from the terrorist leadership of Iran and nobody from any evil society would stop me from supporting and loving Israel.

Now, on with the latest developments…

It has been days since the war between Israel and the terrorist state of Iran started. This is a war that did not just start out of the blue. In reality, it has been building up for a very long time going back to the aftermath of the 1979 Iranian revolution when the Ayatollah and his henchmen came to power. Iran drastically changed into what is now an Islamic state driven by an evil ideology that includes genocide (including the annihilation of Israel and Western democracy), hatred, violence and terrorism.

No matter what the Islamists, the Leftists and their mainstream news media partners-in-crime (read: Reuters, Associated Press, and Agence France-Presse) say, it cannot be denied that Iran is a terrorist state and their leaders and officials chanted “Death to America”, “Death to Israel” and “Death to England” so many times through the years. Iran also brutalized Iranian civilians who refused to be part of their culture of terrorism.

Along the way, Iran had been lying to the whole world as they kept moving forward with their uranium enrichment program and nuclear projects which were designed for mass destruction, not for energy. Given how hateful and evil Iran’s government really is, they should never be allowed to have nuclear weapons.

That being said, Israel launched a series of strategic aerial attacks in Iran hitting military facilities, nuclear sites and government facilities. Israel is at conflict with the Ayatollah-led government and not the civilians of Iran. In fact, Israel’s assault against Iran is meant to bring down the wicked regime and pave the way for millions of Iran to become free and hopefully move their nation towards Democracy. Israel is also doing the world a favor as Iran intends to be able to fire weapons of mass destruction (WMD) at Europe, Africa and even America.

To learn about the history between Israel and Iran, watch Ben Shapiro’s explanatory video below.

It should be noted that Israel is not only in conflict with Iran. Israel also has terrorist supporter Qatar (which has Islamic terrorist news network and propagandist Al Jazeera), Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, Houthi terrorists and Hezbollah to deal with. Iran funded and armed Hamas, Houthi terrorists and Hezbollah for a long time now. I should also mention that the corrupted mainstream news media remain antagonistic towards Israel and they allowed themselves to be partners-in-crime of Iran and Islamic terrorists.

Israel’s war with Iran is very costly and they are focused on achieving their goals to not only bring down the evil regime but also secure the safety of the Jewish state. Watch the comprehensive videos of travelingisrael and pay close attention to the details.

As mentioned earlier, you cannot rely on the mainstream news media for international updates or breaking news about the Israel-Iran war. Reuters, Associated Press and Agence France-Presse have sold their souls to Islamo-Leftists a long time ago and it is unfortunate that other smaller news organizations worldwide subscribed to their news feed which are filled with lies and distorted details designed to make Israel look bad and make people hate Israel. If you want truth and clarity, better get the news from TBN Israel and Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN). Some selected news videos posted below for you all.

As some of you may be aware right now, I will always stand with Israel and I reject all forms of evil. Learn from what God declared in the holy scriptures below.

Now the Lord had said to Abram:

“Get out of your country,

From your family

And from your father’s house,

To a land that I will show you.

I will make you a great nation;

I will bless you

And make your name great;

And you shall be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you,

And I will curse him who curses you;

And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Genesis 12:1-3 (NKJV)

Again God said to him, Your name is Jacob [supplanter]; you shall not be called Jacob any longer, but Israel shall be your name. So He called him Israel [contender with God].

And God said to him, I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall come from you and kings shall be born of your stock;

The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and to your descendants after you I will give the land.

Genesis 35:10-12 (AMPC)

No weapon formed against you shall prosper,

And every tongue which rises against you in judgment

You shall condemn.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,

And their righteousness is from Me,”

Says the Lord.

Isaiah 54:17 (NKJV)

Also, let me remind you that Lord Jesus is the hope of all nations. Never allow the forces of evil to bring you down. Never let the wicked ones pull you away from the Lord. Learn from the scriptures below.

For there [is only] one God, and [only] one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,

1 Timothy 2:5 (AMPC)

For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.

Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 (NKJV)

“I am a true sprouting vine, and the farmer who tends the vine is my Father. He cares for the branches connected to me by lifting and propping up the fruitless branches and pruning every fruitful branch to yield a greater harvest. The words I have spoken over you have already cleansed you. So you must remain in life-union with me, for I remain in life-union with you. For as a branch severed from the vine will not bear fruit, so your life will be fruitless unless you live your life intimately joined to mine.

“I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches. As you live in union with me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you—but when you live separated from me you are powerless. 6If a person is separated from me, he is discarded; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire to be burned. But if you live in life-union with me and if my words live powerfully within you—then you can ask whatever you desire and it will be done. When your lives bear abundant fruit, you demonstrate that you are my mature disciples who glorify my Father!

John 15:1-8 (TPT)

Always pray to the Lord in support of Israel, its government, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and its stakeholders. Learn to love and bless the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Pray to Him for Israel’s victory over terrorist state Iran, for the existence of the Jewish state and Western democracy, and for the freedom of the Iranian people.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 82

June 9, 2025June 4, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Streaming wars cost Hollywood a lot – Just years ago, Hollywood companies made heavy bets on streaming believing it would be the new gold standard of business as well as a new gold mine waiting to release immense profits. Today, Hollywood ended up collectively losing a lot of money and their streaming moves added a lot of complexity and new problems to their business. Along the way, millions of customers stopped subscribing to the streaming services of Hollywood. What happened behind the scenes and who were the only business winners in the middle of the streaming wars? Find out in Midnight’s Edge in-depth analytical video below.

#2 Retrospective look at Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann – As a young boy, I saw the sci-fi Western adventure movie Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann and I ended up getting intrigued about its story and the ending. Even by today’s standards, this film’s core concept remains very weird or totally unique as it had lots of motorcycle thrills, cowboys with their guns, and a very unusual approach on time-travel and its consequences. To find out more about the 1982 movie, watch the selected videos below.

#3 You, Me and the Movies react to The Punisher (1989) – Remember when Dolph Lundgren played The Punisher in a low budget movie released in 1989? Even though a lot of people rejected it, the film remains important as it helped the Marvel Comics assassin start entering mainstream entertainment. Two more Punisher movies were released in the 2000s and then a TV series about The Punisher was established. To find out how Dolph Lundgren performed as The Punisher, watch the reaction video of You, Me and the Movies below.

#4 Ashleigh Burton reacts to Lethal Weapon 3 – When Lethal Weapon 3 was released in cinemas here in the Philippines in 1992, it unsurprisingly became big hit with local moviegoers and Mel Gibson was already popular among Filipinos. I missed out on the film’s cinematic run but managed to watch it on home video. If you want an enjoyable look back at Lethal Weapon 3 but you don’t have time to watch it entirely, watch Ashleigh Burton’s fun reaction video.

#5 PatmanQC examines Hook – Were you able to watch the Steven Spielberg film Hook when it was first released in cinemas in 1991? I missed out on its theatrical run (note: it opened in February 1992 here in the Philippines) but managed to watch it on home video and later played the video game adaptation on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). That’s right! Hook had video games back then and if you want to discover more about them, watch the in-depth retro gaming video of PatmanQC below.

#6 Hamas misinformation debunked! – Let me remind you all the truth about Palestinian terrorist group Hamas…they are terrorists funded and supported by Iran and Qatar, they committed genocide against Israel and foreigners on October 7, 2023, and they are pure evil, greedy and barbaric. Hamas is also responsible for the suffering of the Palestinians (who did not join their terrorism activities) living in the Gaza strip. As America and Israel joined forces to provide humanitarian aid directly to the Gaza residents, Hamas became desperate with their tactics, lied about what happened, and they have the Islamo-Leftist mainstream news media outlets to propagate the deception worldwide. Fortunately, the misinformation of Hamas has been debunked. Watch the CBN video below.

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Philippines manufacturing activity slowed down in May 2025

June 7, 2025June 3, 2025carlocarrasco

In what could be a possible sign of economic slowdown in the Philippines, manufacturing activity for the month of May this year slowed down as demand from foreign markets weakened, according to a BusinessWorld news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…

GROWTH in Philippine manufacturing activity slowed in May due to declining output and weaker demand from foreign markets amid global trade tensions.

The S&P Global Philippines Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), which measures the country’s monthly factory performance, settled at 50.1, slipping from 53 in April. This was the lowest index since the 49.4 contraction in March.

A PMI reading above 50 denotes better operating conditions month on month, while a reading below 50 shows the opposite.

“The promising growth observed at the beginning of the second quarter signaled a notable cooling in May,” Maryam Baluch, an economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said in a report on Monday. “While new orders continued to increase, they did so at a slower pace, overshadowed by contractions in other areas.”

S&P Global data on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) showed that only the Philippines expanded in May, while Vietnam (49.8), Myanmar (47.6) and Indonesia (47.4) all declined.

In its report, S&P Global said output declined in May, the second contraction in the past three months.

“Overall, the downturn was marginal, but companies noted softer demand conditions weighed on production,” it said.

Despite continuing to signal a rise in new sales, the rate of expansion in new orders was slight and weaker than in April, it added. This was reflected in the softer rate of increase in input buying activity.

“The situation was further exacerbated by a deteriorating demand from foreign markets, with May witnessing a sharper drop in new export orders,” Ms. Baluch said. “As global trade tensions escalate, the outlook for overseas demand appears increasingly precarious,” US President Donald J. Trump paused his reciprocal tariffs in April for 90 days but continues to apply a 10% baseline tariff rate for most trading partners.

Ms. Baluch said the drop in production requirements was accompanied by a fresh decline in employment and the inventories of both purchases and finished goods.

S&P said employment numbers declined for the first time in four months.

The pace of job shedding was marginal, but the strongest in 11 months, which factories attributed to voluntary resignations and the nonreplacement of those roles.

S&P also cited the limited manpower for a renewed buildup of backlogs across Filipino producers.

“On a brighter note, inflationary pressures remain modest and historically subdued, which could play an important role in supporting demand moving forward,” she said.

However, cost burdens and output charges rose to the highest since January.

“The stability of price pressures may also provide a necessary buffer against the challenges posed by a cooldown in new orders and external market uncertainties,” she added.

S&P Global said manufacturers expect new orders to continue to rise, supported by confidence in the year-ahead outlook for production, but the degree of optimism was the third weakest in the series’ history.

Analysts also said trade tensions and softer demand weighing down the country’s manufacturing activity in May.

The anticipation for higher tariffs likely caused subdued exports, said Reinielle Matt M. Erece, an economist at Oikonomia Advisory and Research, Inc.

“The persistent trade tensions continue to weigh on global trade, causing exports to drop as higher tariffs may be imposed,” he said in a Viber message.

Philippine exports in the first four months rose 9.5% to $26.87 billion, according to the local statistics agency.

Mr. Erece said domestic demand slowed as the election-spending season ended. Stronger manufacturing activity is expected later this year, as local authorities continue trade talks with the US Trade Representative, he added.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the Philippines’ manufacturing sector will rebound this month?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 81

June 6, 2025June 2, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Retrospective videos of Krull – I was a young boy when I saw Krull inside the cinema way back in 1983. It was an entertaining experience for me as the movie had a clever mix of fantasy, science fiction and even horror in its presentation. As many years passed by, I replayed Krull as an adult on cable TV and DVD, and it still remained entertaining. For those of you who intend to learn more about (or rediscover) Krull, I posted below some videos for your enjoyment. If you have not seen Krull yet, watch the movie entirely first.

#2 The George Foreman Grill remembered – The late George Foreman will be remembered for a long time. He made an impact on the world in professional boxing during his younger days and made a tremendous comeback by becoming the oldest heavyweight champion at age 45. Along the way, he became a preacher of God’s Word, led a local church and managed a youth center. Along the way, the late Foreman found tremendous success by endorsing a product that became the George Foreman Grill. To find out more about the Foreman and the popular grill, watch the video below.

#3 France’s President humiliated – With the way he is leading France as its President and the way he is helping Palestinian terrorists by antagonizing Israel, Emmanuel Macron is on the wrong side of history. He was back in the media spotlight as he got slapped by his wife recently. Watch and learn from the videos below.

#4 Ashleigh Burton reacts to Casper – It has been a little over thirty years since the live-action movie Casper was released in cinemas. As a young boy, I read some Casper comic books and saw some episodes of the cartoon shows on TV but I never was a fan of the character. I did not see the Casper film until it started showing on cable TV. Casper of 1995 does not interest me much but you should see how it draws reactions from Ashleigh Burton in the video below.

#5 PatmanQC examines Cruis’n USA – Cruis’n USA is one of those hit arcade games from the 1990s that I never got to play in Iocal arcades. Most of the time, I received information of Cruis’n USA primarily due to its port for Nintendo 64 (N64) being heavily reported by video game journalists back then. While the original arcade game was successful with both players and game critics, the same cannot be said about the N64 port. To find out more, watch PatmanQC’s in-depth video below.

#6 Ramnexus examines Oblivion Remastered – It’s been over a month since Oblivion Remastered (full title: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion – Remastered) was released, and I still have not played it on my Xbox Series X. While it is popular with gamers, I still was not convinced to return to subscribing to Xbox Game Pass (XGP) for it. The original Oblivion of 2006 is one of my favorite RPGs of the 21^st century and I just might consider playing its remastered version someday. For now, I am just watching YouTube videos of the remastered game and I found a recent video by Ramnexus that turns out to be an engaging look at it. Watch Ramnexus’ video below.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 80

June 4, 2025May 29, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 VKunia and Popcorn in Bed react to Minority Report – In 2002, I saw Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report inside one of the cinemas of Festival Mall here in the Philippines. The suspenseful science fiction movie was the first-ever creative collaboration between Spielberg and Tom Cruise, and it ultimately entertained and intrigued many local moviegoers. To find out if Minority Report remains an engaging film by today’s standards, watch the reaction videos of VKunia and Popcorn in Bed below.

#2 PatmanQC examines Zaxxon – I never played Zaxxon in the arcade but managed to play a version of it on MS-DOS PC in the 1980s. Back then, I was often intrigued with Zaxxon’s visual design which involved an isometric view and a clever presentation of the 2D sprites. Due to its depth of gameplay related to the overall design, it was indeed challenging to play. To find who were responsible in making the game and what inspired its visual design, watch the in-depth Zaxxon video of PatmanQC below.

#3 You, Me and the Movies react to Creature from the Black Lagoon – Released in 1954, Creature from the Black Lagoon is a black-and-white 3D monster horror movie kept moviegoers on the edge of their seats. The feature film’s creature went on to become a part of Universal Picture’s classic monsters and also left an impact on American pop culture. Several months ago, You, Me and the Movies posted their reaction video and it is entertaining to see.

#4 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters retrospective videos – I never got to play Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters when it was released in 1993. We had a Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) but we never bought the game. I heard from a few of my friends – who were fortunate enough to play it – that the game was indeed a lot of fun to play and was a nice addition to the sudden rise of fighting games at the time. Developed and published by Konami, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters was a commercial and critical hit clearly with the SNES version. To find out what made the game competent with other fighting games and why many considered it to be a great licensed video game, watch the selected retrospective videos below.

#5 Ashleigh Burton reacts to Alien vs. Predator – Back in 2004, I saw Alien vs. Predator in the local cinema in Cebu City, and after watching it I went back home feeling numb and disappointed. For one thing, it was directed by Paul W.S. Anderson who really is not a very good director. Next, the script was pretty bad in quality. Ultimately, the filmmakers did not raise serious efforts to delight fans of both Aliens and Predator. For YouTuber Ashleigh Burton, however, the film has a different impact on her and you can watch her reaction video below.

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