liberal – Page 6 – Author Carlo Carrasco

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 90

July 21, 2025July 20, 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 How to catch a shark and prepare it for consumption – If you are fond of fishing, have you ever tried catching a shark and then preparing it for cooking and eating? You can learn a lot from the video of Darcizzle Offshore which showed how a blacktip shark was caught. That being said, let me ask you – when was the last time you had shark for a meal? Watch the video below.

#2 Arcade games that never got ported – Through the decades, I visited the local arcades and played a lot of games. Along the way, there were times when I simply watched other games being played by others. Being an avid gamer, I noticed that there were several games of the arcade that never got ported on to consoles nor home computers nor the mobile devices. I recently stumbled on this video by Just Jamie which is entertaining to watch.

#3 Female bodybuilders and fitness influencers who died this year – With your current knowledge about health, do you often think that being healthy and being very muscular are always related with one another? Did you believe having a bulked up body means you are healthy? Believe it or not, there are already some female bodybuilders who did recently and certain details behind their deaths might shock you. Watch and learn from the video below.

#4 You, Me and the Movies posted another Friday The 13^th (1980) reaction video – In July of 2021, YouTuber You, Me and the Movies posted its reaction video of 1980’s Friday The 13^th. Recently, You, Me and the Movies posted another reaction video of the same movie but “Mrs. Movies” has been replaced by her sister Berly. I encourage to watch the video below.

#5 Fig Newtons remembered – Back in the 1980s, I saw an eye-catching print ad of the snack Fig Newtons while reading a superhero comic book here in the Philippines. Some years later, I managed to eat Fig Newtons imported from the United States and it was delicious to eat. If anyone of you likes snacks in general or if you really loved eating Fig Newtons before, posted below for your viewing pleasure and learning is a video about the history of Fig Newtons.

#6 SwordQuest contests and prizes remembered – Back in the 1980s, Atari released on their Atari 2600 console a fantasy-themed series of video games called SwordQuest. Not only did they release three SwordQuest games (click here, here and here), the company even organized contests (about the games) that had luxurious prizes made of real gold and jewels for champions. To take a close look at the events that happened – complete with archive video footage and pictures – watch the video by Save Data below.

#7 Ashleigh Burton reacts to Moonraker – If you are less than thirty years-old and you started watching James Bond movies in the 21^st century, were you able to watch the movie that had Agent 007 go to outer space? 1979’s Moonraker is the one and only James Bond movie (starring the late Roger Moore) that featured space travel and even laser battles in space. Moonraker was also the first James Bond movie to surpass the $200 million mark in global ticket sales. For some people, Moonraker aged badly but for some it still is entertaining to watch. To find out more about Moonraker, watch Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video below.

#8 The international box office weakness of James Gunn’s Superman explained – No matter what Warner Bros. did and no matter the overseas promotional tours done by the filmmakers and stars of James Gunn’s Superman, the movie ended up as a box office disappointment outside of America grossing only $95 million during its first international weekend. In fact, the new Superman movies could not take down Jurassic World: Rebirth in certain countries during the weekend of July 11-13, 2025. As America generated the majority of its ticket sales, the movie has lesser chances of making $1 billion worldwide and I would not be surprised to see it gross less than 2013’s Man of Steel ($670 million worldwide). To learn why James Gunn’s Superman is already a commercial disappointment with moviegoers outside of America, watch the videos below.

+++++

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 athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 89

July 18, 2025July 18, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Calvin Dyson’s The Spy Who Love Me in-depth review – One of the best James Bond-focused YouTubers is Calvin Dyson. Years ago, he posted his in-depth retro review of The Spy Who Loved Me – starring the late Roger Moore – which is pretty entertaining to watch. I saw the 1977 James Bond film a number of times in my life and I can say that Dyson not only made an engaging retro review, he also provided crucial insight about the movie. For those who have not seen The Spy Who Loved Me, watch it first entirely before watching Dyson’s spoileriffic review. Otherwise, enjoy his video belo.

#2 Slope’s Game Room examines Popeye video games – Growing up, I saw cartoon episodes about Popeye. I also read a few comic books about the character and even saw the live-action movie of 1980. When it comes to retro gaming, I played the Popeye Game & Watch game and then the Family Computer (Famicom) port of the Popeye arcade game. I recently found Slope’s Game Room’s retrospective video about Popeye games and to my surprise, there were more video games about the character which I never played. To discover the Popeye games and their collective history, watch the video below.

#3 The decades-old conflict between Donald Trump and Rosie O’Donnell – In case you somehow missed the buzz all the time, the conflict between Donald Trump and Rosie O’Donnell has lasted for decades. As far as the modern age is concerned, Trump successfully returned as President of the United States and O’Donnell left America for another country. The truth about Rosie O’Donnell is that you cannot trust her and you should never let her manipulate. Behind all the Hollywood glamor and entertainment glitter, Rosie O’Donnell is problematic and unstable. Her conflict with Trump goes a very long way back and I urge you to watch the video below. It is both entertaining and compelling to watch.

#4 Friday The 13^th (1980) reaction videos – Do you find the 1980 horror movie Friday The 13^th notable if not special at all? For me, there is absolutely nothing special about the slasher horror film directed by Sean Cunningham (read my retro movie review by clicking here). If there is anything notable about it, it would be its economic achievement of grossing almost $60 million worldwide on a negative cost of less than $3 million (including marketing and distribution costs). When it comes to story, cinematic concepts and performances, it is still pretty weak. Still the flaws of Friday The 13^th (1980) did not stop it from becoming a popular film of choice for reaction videos by YouTubers. For your interest, posted below are assorted reaction videos of the movie.

#5 Reviews of James Gunn’s Superman – Now playing in theaters worldwide, James Gunn’s Superman is bringing in a lot of money. Of course, commercial success does not clearly reflect the film’s overall quality nor the reviews it gathered from the corrupted mainstream media and from independent bloggers and content creators. It also sucks that there are some movie-focused websites that signed marketing deals with contractors of movie studios that guaranteed not only constant film promotion but also the publishing of overall positive reviews. That being said, I encourage you to take time out to watch the selected video reviews of James Gunn’s Superman below sourced from four YouTubers. If you have not seen the new movie in the cinema and you are leaning towards watching it soon, then the videos below are a must-see.

+++++

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 88

July 14, 2025July 11, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Ashleigh Burton and Popcorn in Bed react to The Spy Who Love Me – Remember The Spy Who Loved Me? Released in 1977, the film was Roger Moore’s 3^rd performance as James Bond and it was also the start of Albert Broccoli’s full control of the film franchise after breaking up with his partner. The filmmakers went all-in making The Spy Who Loved Me filled with a lot of thrills, dangerous stunts and a twist on Cold War politics to not only delight James Bond fans but also attract moviegoers who wanted something grand and fun to watch. That being said, you should watch how this 1977 Agent 007 movie drew reactions from Ashleigh Burton and Popcorn in Bed.

#2 PatmanQC examines Chase H.Q. – I never played Chase H.Q. in the arcade nor any of its ports on consoles and home computers. Historically, the game was a huge arcade hit and it was praised by game critics during its time. Chase H.Q. offered players the unique experience of playing a police officer (who has a partner) and must drive a fancy car to chase criminals who are trying to get away on the road. The game is an inspired work and if you want to discover more about how it was made and who the creators were, watch the in-depth video of PatmanQC below.

#3 James Gunn’s Superman controversy – By the time you are reading this, James Gunn’s Superman movie is already playing in theaters around the world. Just before it was released, James Gunn confirmed in a media interview that his take on DC Comics’ icon is indeed political and he even used the word “jerks” to refer to those who reject his movie. For analysis, explanations and opinions, watch the videos below.

#4 You, Me and the Movies react to Cannonall Run II – Believe it or not, the first Cannonball Run movie I ever saw was the 2^nd movie titled Cannonball Run II. Released worldwide in 1984, Cannonball Run II had an all-star cast, stunts and a lot of comedy but ultimately it failed to match the commercial success of its predecessor. You, Me and the Movies recently posted its reaction video of the sequel and it deserves your attention.

#5 When Obama mocked Donald Trump – Remember back in 2011 when Barack Obama – and the elite – mocked Donald Trump during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner? Back then, Obama was US President and he abused his authority to put down Trump (who was rumored to run for President in the 2012 contest) to conveniently boost his own chances of for re-election. Not only that, Obama’s elite allies also pounced on Trump. By today’s standards, the 2011 event is painful for the liberals, the woke, the Satanic Left and the Democratic Party because Trump got elected as US President twice. No matter what Obama and the Satanic Left did, Trump only got stronger and hit back at them hard. Watch the video below.

+++++

Xbox affected as Microsoft executes new round of layoffs

July 11, 2025July 6, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back Xbox fans, geeks, and other gamers!

It has been more than a week since Microsoft announced its latest round of layoffs affecting not only thousands of employees but also Team Xbox, its game studios and certain game projects as well.

To be clear, this is not the first time Microsoft had layoffs this year but it is much more significant because the latest layoff round hit Xbox really hard and already Xbox fans and gamers saw their excitement about future video games drop. It is important to keep in mind that Microsoft and its Xbox division are both profitable which makes the new round of layoffs baffling to some. So far this year, over 15,000 employees were laid of by the technology giant. With the layoffs affecting Xbox’s developers and projects, there are matters that concerned both the Xbox fans and gamers who could have joined in.

Firstly, the Xbox game studio The Initiative will be closing down and their high-profile game Perfect Dark (which involved Crystal Dynamics) has officially been cancelled. This is tragic because Team Xbox had the opportunity to reboot the decades-old Perfect Dark franchise, delight the long-time PD fans while offering other gamers something new and exciting to play. A lot of gamers have been anticipating Perfect Dark for many years now only to end up frustrated.

Secondly, the successful and reliable Xbox game studio Turn 10 saw several of its employees laid off and their team will reportedly work as a supporter for Playground Games. For the newcomers reading this, Turn 10 created and built up the Forza Motorsport franchise of simulation racing games that started in 2005. To see Turn 10 get demoted and work on support duty for Playground Games on the Forza Horizon franchise is just very odd and baffling. Could this mean that Forza Motorsport (2023) is the last game of its franchise? Do you think a leaner Turn 10 will still be able to make another Forza Motorsport game?

Thirdly, the much-delayed Xbox game Everwild got cancelled and its developer also suffered from the Microsoft layoffs. This unfortunate development only added to the perception that developer Rare (the team behind many hit games it made with Nintendo decades ago) kept going downhill creatively, critically and commercially. Considering how long the game development lasted, I can only imagine that many millions of Dollars were spent on Everwild and Microsoft decided to pull the plug.

Fourthly and most notably, Xbox head Phil Spencer’s official email (addressed to employees) related with the huge layoffs was revealed and its content has been posted below for you to see. Some parts in boldface…

Today we are sharing decisions that will impact colleagues across our organization. To position Gaming for enduring success and allow us to focus on strategic growth areas, we will end or decrease work in certain areas of the business and follow Microsoft’s lead in removing layers of management to increase agility and effectiveness. Out of respect for those impacted today, the specifics of today’s notifications and any organizational shifts will be shared by your team leaders in the coming days.

I recognize that these changes come at a time when we have more players, games, and gaming hours than ever before. Our platform, hardware, and game roadmap have never looked stronger. The success we’re seeing currently is based on tough decisions we’ve made previously. We must make choices now for continued success in future years and a key part of that strategy is the discipline to prioritize the strongest opportunities. We will protect what is thriving and concentrate effort on areas with the greatest potential, while delivering on the expectations the company has for our business. This focused approach means we can deliver exceptional games and experiences for players for generations to come.

*Do you miss the good old days of Xbox? Are you a long-time Xbox gamer who became disappointed over Team Xbox’s decisions and releases? You are not alone!*

Prioritizing our opportunities is essential, but that does not lessen the significance of this moment. Simply put, we would not be where we are today without the time, energy, and creativity of those whose roles are impacted. These decisions are not a reflection of the talent, creativity, and dedication of the people involved. Our momentum is not accidental—it is the result of years of dedicated effort from our teams.

HR is working directly with impacted employees to provide severance plan benefits (aligned with local laws), including pay, healthcare coverage, and job placement resources to support their transition. Employees whose roles were eliminated are encouraged to explore open positions across Microsoft Gaming, where their applications will be given priority review.

Thank you to everyone who has shaped our culture, our products, and our community. We will move forward with deep appreciation and respect for all who have contributed to this journey.

This is my opinion about Spencer’s message…as head of Xbox, Spencer is really powerless and he has no choice but to follow orders from Microsoft’s top management whose views about video game culture and interests do not really match with what we gamers and the game makers have. For Microsoft’s leadership, they have a business to run but it is clear that gaming (electronic entertainment) won’t be going away soon and they will keep investing more money in video game projects. Of course, Microsoft expects healthy returns on its investments which is why they will keep the Game Pass subscription service moving, offer games to varied users (console, computer, mobile and cloud) and they will push through with the next-generation Xbox with AMD as a bigger strategic partner.

Regarding layoffs reaching thousands, it is depressing on face value because those who lost their jobs will have to deal with the high costs of living in first world economies like the United States and in parts of Europe. However, I see an opportunity that others cannot see…the opportunity for Team Xbox to get rid of their least-productive employees as well as laying off the woke activists scattered among the employees of the many Xbox game studios. As seen in entertainment over the past several years, woke activists working in movies, video games, comic books and TV shows do not prioritize quality, do not care about the fans, and they keep on abusing the company resources as they prioritized their Leftist agenda. Is it any wonder why modern entertainment sucks? Did you notice the use of pronouns in Xbox games?

To be fair, Microsoft and Team Xbox both have been woke for years already. In America, the tone of society has changed drastically ever since Donald Trump successfully returned as United States President. Perhaps Microsoft and Xbox executives realized that they should get rid of DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) from their business practices and corporate culture before the wave of change under Trump’s America leaves them behind. As of this writing, Trump is making America great again and the woke know they are losing the culture war.

As US President Trump is reshaping America to be great again, meritocracy has become essential too. This means DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) really has no place in government, business, entertainment and culture. DEI must DIE!

I can only speculate that as Xbox game studios each have less employees to work with, there could be a renewed effort to focus more on making high-quality video games that are both enjoyable to play and worth the money of customers. The Outer Worlds 2, which will be released this October, has an eye-catching American price of $79.99 (regular edition) and already a lot of gamers – including The Outer Worlds fans – find the price excessive.

The way things are right now, the future of Xbox looks gloomy and the excitement of the Xbox fans and other gamers have weakened. That being said, we can only wait and see what will happen next in the near future. Perhaps a month from now, Team Xbox will clarify what direction they are headed to and what exciting projects or events fans can still look forward to.

How do you gamers feel about Xbox gaming right now? If you are an Xbox fan, are you feeling disappointed with the cancellation of Perfect Dark and Everwild? Do you think it is time for Team Xbox’s leadership to be changed now that Microsoft impacted the gaming projects and work forces?

+++++

Stop living as a worldly person and come to Lord Jesus

July 6, 2025September 14, 2025carlocarrasco

To those of you who are living with worldliness and are still under the influence of evil, I want to you realize that Lord Jesus is the Hope of ALL nations and you still have time change and submit yourselves to Him.

If you are part of the Islamo-Leftist mob and you have participated in serving the terrorist state of Iran, you allowed Qatar’s sinister leaders to influence you with terrorist news network Al Jazeera, you supported Palestinian terrorists and hated Israel, you can stop being evil and come to Lord Jesus for submission and repentance.

If you are part of the Satanic Left and you have participated in the disruptive activities of the woke mob, the LGBTQ gangs, the anti-Christian mob, the Black Lives Matter racism movement, the Islamo-Leftists and illegal immigration supporters, you can stop living with foolishness and just come out and surrender to Lord Jesus now. Do not be afraid because the Lord is gentle and all you need to do is to surrender to Him, repent to Him and allow the Holy Spirit to enter your heart.

If you are part of idolatrous, organized religion and you harassed many people because you intended to impose your beliefs on them, you should stop yourself and take the time to see the light of Lord Jesus who offers hope that you never realized. Lord Jesus is the hope of ALL nations and clearly your unholy religious teachers and idols never told you about His hope nor did they want you to know God’s plan for you. Always remember that religion treats you like a trapped animal and that you are never worthy. Lord Jesus is the way to God, and you don’t need religion.

If you need enlightenment, click the content reference from Looking for Blessed Hope below and learn from the teaching of God’s Word led by Pastor Amir Tsarfati.

Jesus is Jewish…and We’re Adopted!

For enlightenment and freedom from evil influences, I encourage you to start reading the Holy Bible (the Word of God), allow the Holy Spirit to guide you, and live on with the light and teachings of Lord Jesus. Jesus is our Redeemer, our Savior and the Light! For your advancement, realize the truth from the holy scriptures below…

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.

But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying,

“Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”

So He said,

“Come.”

And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him,

“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

Matthew 14:22-33 (NKJV)

Jesus answered and said to him,

“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 3:3 (NKJV)

For God is one, and there is one Mediator between God and the sons of men—the true man, Jesus, the Anointed One.

1 Timothy 2:5 (TPT)

Be aware that the ties between Jews and Christians are real and biblical. Be aware that all of the first followers (early Christians) of Lord Jesus were Jewish, and the Lord paved the way for people of different ethnicities and different nations to come to Him and be adopted willingly. You need Lord Jesus and the Word of God, not diversity and not inclusion.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel, learn to love and bless the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem! Live on with the presence of God and the Holy Spirit!

+++++

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 athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 87

July 4, 2025June 29, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Retrospective look back at Heaven’s Gate – If you love watching movies, have you ever seen Heaven’s Gate? That 1980 movie directed by Michael Cimino was a very expensive commercial and critical failure. Cimino had blank check power which drained United Artists’ funds and he executed a lot of moves to ensure authenticity for filming believing he had something great for cinema. While the movie has been praised a lot more since he re-cut the film (Criterion Collection Blu-ray is available online), it is important to look back at its history as it is a fact that its failure destroyed Cimino’s credibility as well as the New Hollywood era entirely. How was Isabelle Huppert hired, who led United Artists, what cases of animal cruelty happened and how the actors described the production can be seen in the Final Cut video below. For entertainment value, I added Critical Drinker’s explanatory video and the 3-part movie review by Cinema Snob.

#2 Animated portrayal of an ntense scene from the Jurassic Park novel – If you have seen Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park, were you able to read the novel by Michael Crichton? I read the novel after seeing the film in 1993 and I was struck at how different literary Jurassic Park really was. The movie was not really based on it but inspired by it, and there were so many differences between them. The literary Jurassic Park was much more violent, John Hammond was greedy and self-centered, and there were two Tyrannosaurs. The novel also had memorable scenes that movie never adapted, and one of them was the violent encounter with the adult Tyrannosaur on the main road which was animated well by YouTuber InGen 2D. Watch the video below.

#3 The successful American strike on Iran’s nuclear sites explained – America’s successful bombing of three nuclear sites of terrorist state Iran was very tremendous politically and militarily. It helped Israel win its 12-day war with Iran and right now the wicked regime led by the Ayatollah has been weakened significantly as multiple military commanders and nuclear scientists have been eliminated. With Iran severely weakened, it won’t be able to fund and arm Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthi terrorists. The Americans used stealth B-2 bombers which traveled into Iran undetected for the attack. To know the details, watch the explanatory video of TBN Israel below.

#4 Unsolved Mysteries Season 6 Episode 2 – I found another engaging episode of Unsolved Mysteries hosted by the late Robert Stack. The 2^nd episode from the sixth season of the show has an in-depth look at the Mystery Robber, an Australian pilot’s encounter with a UFO, and more. There is a lot to enjoy or discover in the episode below.

#5 Jurassic World revisited – It has been ten years since Jurassic World was first released in cinemas. While the movie was highly successful in terms of ticket sales, I myself did not enjoy it much and very clearly it was the further bastardization of dinosaurs and core concepts of Jurassic Park (both novel and the 1993 movie). Having more action and more dinosaurs with humans trapped on an island did not work for me and the only movie that executed those elements well as the first one directed by Spielberg. Still, there are lots of YouTubers who posted videos about Jurassic World and you can see how the movie impacts them and what they think about it in the selected videos below.

#6 You, Me and the Movies react to April Fool’s Day – Released in 1986, April Fool’s Day is a dark comedy, mystery, slasher film that follows several college students on an island estate. On face value, it looked like a typical slasher horror film but it offered moviegoers something else. You should watch how You, Me and Movies react to it in their video below.

+++++

USAID formally shut down and incorporated into State Department

July 4, 2025July 3, 2025carlocarrasco

They finally did it! The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) –the independent agency of the American government responsible for administering civilian and foreign aid – was formally shut down by the Trump administration and has been incorporated into the State Department, according to a news report by Breitbart.

It should be remembered that USAID was heavily abused for a long time and a lot of taxpayers’ money was abused for questionable and wrongful purposes around the world such as funding LGBTQ projects, pushing abortion overseas, overseas tourism promotions, terrorist funding, creating a Sesame Street in Iraq, creating a mural in Parañaque City, and more.

As expected, there are high-profile figures who still want USAID to continue even though the abuses have been exposed. This new development with USAID is undeniably a major change decades in the making and United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued statements defending the move.

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

The US foreign aid agency formally closed down Tuesday, with President Donald Trump’s administration trumpeting the end of the “charity-based model” despite predictions that millions of lives will be lost.

Founded in 1961 as John F. Kennedy sought to leverage aid to win over the developing world in the Cold War, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has now been incorporated into the State Department — after Secretary of State Marco Rubio slashed 85 percent of its programming.

In a farewell to remaining staff on Monday, former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama — as well as U2 frontman Bono — saluted their work and said it was still needed.

Bush pointed to PEPFAR, the massive US effort to fight HIV/AIDS that he considers one of the top achievements of his 2001-2009 Republican presidency.

“This program shows a fundamental question facing our country — is it in our nation’s interest that 25 million people who would have died now live? I think it is,” Bush said in a video message seen by AFP.

Obama, who like Bush has been sparing in openly criticizing Trump, said that ending USAID was “inexplicable” and “will go down as a colossal mistake.”

“Gutting USAID is a travesty and it is a tragedy because it’s some of the most important work happening anywhere in the world,” the Democrat said.

A study published in the medical journal The Lancet predicted that more than 14 million people would die, a third of them small children, by 2030 due to the foreign aid cuts.

‘Little to show’ – Rubio painted a drastically different picture of USAID, which was an early target of a sweeping government cost-cutting drive led for Trump by billionaire Elon Musk.

Rubio said that USAID’s “charity-based model” fueled “addiction” by developing nations’ leaders and that trade was more effective.

“Beyond creating a globe-spanning NGO industrial complex at taxpayer expense, USAID has little to show since the end of the Cold War,” Rubio wrote in an essay.

He also complained that many recipients of US aid do not vote with the United States at the United Nations and that rival China often enjoys higher favorability among the public.

A senior State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that The Lancet study relied on “incorrect assumptions” and said the United States will continue aid but in a “more efficient” way.

He said that PEPFAR will remain, with a priority on stopping HIV transmission from mothers to children.

But he acknowledged the United States was no longer funding PrEP medication, which significantly reduces the rate of HIV transmission and has been encouraged by high-risk communities.

“No one is saying that gay men in Africa shouldn’t be on PrEP. That’s wonderful. It doesn’t mean that the United States has to pay for every single thing,” the official said.

He said the Trump administration was looking at “new and innovative solutions” and pointed to food deliveries in war-battered Gaza staffed by US military contractors and surrounded by Israeli troops.

Witnesses, the United Nations and local Gaza officials have reported that Israeli troops have repeatedly opened fire and killed Palestinians waiting for aid — although the US-backed initiative, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, denies any deadly incidents.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Are you satisfied with the formal end of USAID and its incorporation into the State Department? Do you think a lot of people’s lives around the world will suffer from the shutdown of assistance from USAID?

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

+++++

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 86

June 30, 2025June 24, 2025carlocarrasco

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.

+++++

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.

+++++

A Look Back at Action Comics #436 (1974)

June 18, 2025June 20, 2025carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1970s arts and culture enthusiasts, DC Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1974 to take a close look at a part of the DC Comics universe through a tale of the Action Comics monthly series.

If you know the Superman lore in comics, you should be aware that Perry White (first appeared in 1940) is the editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet and is the superior of Clark Kent (Superman), Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. As Perry White got race-swapped (a woke move that’s also idiotic) and presented as a black man in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel and James Gunn’s Superman (2025), be aware that the long-lasting character originated in the comics as a white man who symbolized dedication and management consistently. I still remember the live-action versions of Perry White played by Jackie Cooper in the 1978 movie and by Lane Smith in the TV series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.

I read a lot of Superman comic books and many times Perry White appeared as a supporting character. He also appeared in the memorable crossover comic book Superman and Spider-Man, interacting with Peter Parker (Spider-Man). As a supporting character in Superman tales, Perry White occasionally provides journalistic direction or a challenge to Clark Kent who in turn tackles problems in his civilian identity or as Superman.

But what if Perry White overshadows Superman himself?

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Action Comics #436, published in 1974 by DC Comics with a story written by Elliot S. Maggin and drawn by Curt Swan.

Early story

The story begins deep within Metropolis when the Daily Planet’s editor Perry White enters the Galaxy Building. White does not realize that he is being watched by two adults who turned out to have special abilities and together they levitated a gift for him before he reaches his office. The gift for Perry White was their response to the help he provided to them – the mutants – to escape the influence of Calixto sometime before. The two adults then vanished.

As White arrives in his office, Superman discreetly flies into the Galaxy Building and changed into his civilian form as Clark Kent. With his enhanced hearing, Kent heard the phone in his office ringing and quickly rushes to it. Through the phone, White (who was notified he won the Pulitzer Prize again) tells him that Edge Morgan has something big happening on both TV and on paper, and they should fly out to New York to work together…

Quality

*Superman and Perry White fly towards an enemy.*

To get straight to the point, this Superman tale shows the wild concept of Perry White overshadowing the Man of Steel in terms of capabilities instead of journalistic power. On paper it sounds crazy but the good news is that the wild concept was told nicely and it is actually fun to follow without ever going over the top.

*With witnesses around, Perry White uses his super powers.*

Apart from the story’s outlandish idea, the plot shows a new dimension of Perry White transforming from a supporting player (in the form of a newspaper editor) into a more heroic figure. Instead of being a helpless witness of events happening, White becomes more involved and contributes something to the prevention of disaster and even tackling evil head on. That being said, this situation allowed the creative duo to show a new side of White’s personality as he himself realizes the sudden weight and pressure that comes with having super powers, and he still has journalistic standards to live up to.

Conclusion

*Superman is surprised to witness Perry White fly and prevent a small plane from crashing.*

A product of its time, Action Comics #436 (1974) has a short story that had a zany concept which turned out to be an entertaining read. It is nice to see Perry White actually becoming super while the storytelling done by the Maggin-Swan team never became too outlandish. Think of this comic book – which also has a short story of Green Arrow – as a bout of fun focused on Superman and Perry White. I first read this comic book as a young boy and now as an adult, it is still enjoyable to read again. No woke garbage and no Zack Snyder-style darkness here. This is classic Superman.

Overall, Action Comics #436 (1974) is recommended.

+++++

	Instapundit »… on Trump Announces $1,776 Christm…
	Shaman Tiers on A Look Back at Fatale #1 …
	Luke on Trump Administration Weighs Hi…
	Instapundit »… on Trump Administration Weighs Hi…
	Roaming Rhonda on Christian Music Appreciation:…

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: