Welcome back readers, fellow geeks 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. Operation Wolf American and Japanese arcade flyers
Operation Wolf for American arcades.
Operation Wolf for Japan.
In the late 1980s, Taito achieved massive success in arcades around the world with Operation Wolf. Released during the late stage of the Cold War and with many militaristic action movies already released by Hollywood, Operation Wolf attracted a lot of money from countless players as well as praise from game critics. For the American market, Taito came up with a colorful yet gritty looking arcade flyer that had nice hand-drawn artwork and enough details and screenshots to give readers a useful look at what to expect. The Japanese arcade flyer meanwhile has an even grittier looking original artwork that strongly emphasized war, guns and action. In retrospect, I look both arcade flyers a lot.
2. Centipede Atari 2600 and Atari 5200 print ad
I played Centipede a lot on Atari 2600.
While I completely missed out on the arcade version of Centipede, I managed to play its Atari 2600 version a lot. Ultimately, the simple game design and unique challenges resulted in lots of fun-filled bouts in my experience. To promote the game’s versions on Atari 2600 and Atari 5200, the game giant came up with this particular print ad that had two near-identical artworks that reflect the concept of Centipede. The ad also has some catchy expressions in the text description. This old ad is still fun to look at.
3. Atari RealSports print ad
Long before EA sports video games, there was this.
Way back in 1982, Atari launched its RealSports line of sports video games mainly to revitalize sports gaming for their consoles. In fact, RealSports was the result of a critical and aggressive ad campaign by competitor Intellivision which had its Sports Network series of games. In this RealSports print ad, a large image of Atari’s baseball game was used probably to emphasize the scope of the field. The ad had screenshots of the volleyball and football games, while the text description reflected Atari’s aggressive response to Intellivision. This ad is an early example of competition between rival game console makers focused on sports gaming.
4. Lethal Enforcers Sega CD print ad
When was the last time you bought a video game with a hard copy and a peripheral bundled together?
Porting light gun games from the arcade to the console is very difficult and tricky to do. This is what Konami did in the early 1990s when they released a version of the arcade hit Lethal Enforcers on the Sega CD console and the package had a light gun with the game on disc. To promote the Sega CD version, Konami came up with a 2-page print ad with the catchy line “You won’t find a toy like this in any Cracker Jack box.” In addition, their ad had a few paragraphs of descriptive text to not only excite gamers but also gently inform them that Lethal Enforcers was also available on the Sega Genesis (note: this console is required for the Sega CD add-on to work) and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). Overall, this old ad has a strong visual approach and a clever marketing strategy.
5. Pitfall II: Lost Caverns Atari 2600 print ad
A very stylish layout to promote the game.
In 1982, Activision struck gold with the huge success of Pitfall! which became an influential model of designing platform games. Of course, the publisher (now owned by Microsoft) did not stop there as they went on to make the sequel Pitfall II: Lost Caverns to not only keep the success going but also to exceed the standard they set with the first game. Activision came up with a print ad that not only told gamers of Pitfall Harry’s next adventure but also express humor visually. In line with Activision’s policy of crediting its creators (note: Atari was notorious for refusing to credit its game makers during this era), game designer David Crane was acknowledged in the ad.
6. Team USA Basketball print ad
See your favorite NBA player from the 1990s?
In 1992, a lot of people were obsessed with the Dream Team Olympic basketball squad of the United States as its roster had NBA legends like Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley and David Robinson to name a few. In fact, the Dream Team became the most popular attraction among all teams in any sport of any country that participated in the summer Olympics in Barcelona. Knowing how popular the squad really was, Electronic Arts (EA) made the video game Team USA Basketball and released it on the Sega Genesis which was already a popular console for sports video games. EA came up with this eye-catching 2-page print ad that strongly emphasized the Dream Team, international basketball gaming, and the company’s tested design on 2D basketball video games. In retrospect, this print ad is still amusing and exciting to look at.
7. Jungle Hunt Atari 2600 and Atari 5200 print ad
Do you fine the parallel artworks amusing or disturbing?
Following the huge success of Jungle Hunt (previously titled as Jungle King), Atari saw potential Dollar signs and made a deal with Taito to publish ports under their own brand for the Atari 2600, Atari 5200 and 8-bit computers. As with the Atari console ads of Pitfall II: Lost Caverns and Phoenix, Atari came up with a print ad that featured two parallel artworks that look similar with each other as they promoted Jungle Hunt for Atari 2600 and Atari 5200. To their credit, the artworks used were detailed and eye-catching, and the descriptive line of words displayed carried a possible reference to 1975’s Jaws.
8. GameShark print ad
A James Bond-inspired way of promoting GameShark.
Remember GameShark? For the newcomers reading this, GameShark is the brand of a line of products released on different video game consoles and personal computers (Windows specifically) that gamers use to cheat in video games. GameShark was popular at a time when not too many people had access to the Internet nor did gamers had the means to search for cheats online, and codes were needed to enable cheating. GameShark became so popular, more ambitious and stylish print ads were realized such as this James Bond-inspired 2-page ad. On face value, this ad looked like it was a promoting a particular game but ultimately it was about promoting GameShark with style, cool and some sexiness.
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 topics and the related videos I found.
#1 Akira revisited – The 1988 anime feature film Akira has often been cited as a masterpiece and some pointed it for making anime more popular in the West. For the newcomers reading this, Akira actually started in Japan as a manga/comic book series before getting adapted into anime. Strangely enough, the literary Akira was still publishing when the 1988 feature film was released. As of this writing, there are two English-dubbed versions of it in existence and the Blu-ray copy I own has them both.
It is not surprising that the animated Akira got featured by many YouTubers in the form of retro reviews, reaction videos, documentaries and video analysis. If you have not seen Akira, I encourage you to watch it on Blu-ray first. Otherwise, enjoy the selected videos below.
#2Universal City Studios, Inc. v. Nintendo Co., Ltd. (the Donkey Kong case) – Have you ever played Donkey Kong back in the 1980s? That is a classic game from Nintendo. It was a hit in the arcades and made its way to multiple platforms in the years that followed. Believe it or not, Univeral Studios sued Nintendo alleging that Donkey Kong was a trademark infringement of King Kong. The video below will explain the details as to what happened and I can say it is also amusing to watch.
#3 PatmanQC examines Q*bert – Released in the arcades in 1982, Q*bert became a hit in America and went on to become one of the highest grossing arcade games in 1983. A very fun game, it is remembered for cleverly blending puzzle play with 3D-like movement and avoidance of both obstacles and enemies. You might be wondering who came up with Q*bert, what led to its production and what inspired the game creators to design it. To find out, watch PatmanQC’s detailed examination of Q*bert below…
#4 The Terminator’s connection with The Outer Limits explored – Remember watching 1984’s The Terminator? That was the memorable sci-fi action movie from director James Cameron which went on to become a multimedia franchise of movies, a TV series, comic books, video games and more. If you truly believe that the story is a purely original work written by Cameron (and by those who were involved behind the scenes), you will have to think twice because The Terminator’s sci-fi concept shares some notable similarities with a certain episode of The Outer Limits written by Harlan Ellison. To find out more, watch the video below…
#5 Al Jazeera is the terrorist news network and Qatar’s tool of deception – I will say it out loud right here: Al Jazeera is absolutely not a professional news outlet. Al Jazeera is, in fact, the Islamic terrorist news network and also the tool of Qatar which itself has sinister plans. Qatar may be a small nation but its ambitions for greater influence on the Middle East are very big and they have sinister intentions to grow big. Be aware that Qatar funded anti-Israel movements through American universities. That being said, I urge you all to boycott Al Jazeera. To take a close look at the evil of Al Jazeera and why Qatar should be held accountable, watch the video below.
#6 Ashleigh Burton reacts to The Amazing Spider-Man 2 – Back in 2014, I saw The Amazing Spider-Man 2 in the local cinema which was fully crowded. Even though I had modest expectations, I still left the cinema feeling disappointed. I was convinced that Sony Pictures, Andrew Garfield and director Marc Webb really had nowhere else to go with the way they were handling the Spider-Man film franchise. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 remains a divisive film and yet I had more fun with it by watching Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video. Watch it now.
#7 Popcorn in Bed reacts to Million Dollar Baby – When was the last time you saw YouTuber Popcorn in Bed get emotional and cry during a movie reaction video? If you have already seen Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby, then you should be aware of its very heartbreaking moments directly related to its very tragic concept. Popcorn in Bed recently reacted to the film and how it impacted her on an emotional level is a must-watch.
#8 SHIFT’s 2024 King of Thong video (Miami Swim Week) – A thong is “an article of swimwear or underwear with the back portion consisting of a narrow strip of cloth that passes between the buttocks and connects with a waistband.” Several months ago, the swimsuit fashion YouTube channel SHIFT posted a video of its coverage of the 2024 Miami Swim Week focusing on a show of King of Thong. For almost nine minutes, you’ll see lots of women appear in thongs showing lots of skin with carefully selected tunes playing. It’s a must-watch for those who enjoy women’s swimwear fashion and thongs. Also, there might be some fashion models you could recognize.
The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) announced that the 4th Asian Youth Games (AYG) will take place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from September 7 to 17, 2025.
A total of 24 sports have been confirmed for the AYG which goes as follows: Athletics, Basketball, Cycling, Football and Futsal, Hand to Fight, Karate, Sambo, Volleyball, Aquatics, Belbolgi Kurash, Chess, Gymnastics, Judo, Kurash, Triathlon, Weightlifting, Boxing, Canoe, Fencing, Handball, Jiu-Jitsu, Rowing, Taekwondo and Wrestling.
As per the OCA Constitution, athletes in the age group of 14 to 17 years will only be allowed to participate in the AYG. This is being done in order for these athletes to participate in the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games.
To compete in the Youth Olympic Games (YOG), athletes must be 15 to 18 years old as of 31 December in the year of the Games. The OCA aims to prepare future AYG athletes for the YOG, which is why it has aligned age limits with the YOG criteria. This allows National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to adequately prepare their athletes for participation in the YOG.
The OCA states that athletes should be born not before 2008 and not after 2011 and should be between 14 to 17 years of age as of 31st December 2025.
Recently in the progressive City of Muntinlupa, the City Government formally raise the monthly allowance of its athletes under Class A who represented the city in competitions locally and overseas, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. The raise was done by means of legislation.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
The Muntinlupa City government has increased the monthly allowance of its Class A athletes who represent the city in local and international competitions.
Ordinance 2024-164, passed by the Muntinlupa City Council, was signed by Mayor Ruffy Biazon on April 11.
Under the ordinance, a Class A athlete is someone who has shown excellence in sports and is representing Muntinlupa in regional, national, international and invitational competitions including the Olympics, Asian Games, SEA Games, world championships, Philippine National Games, national finals, Philippine Youth Games, and Palarong Pambansa.
For 2024, Class A athletes from the years 2022 to 2023 will receive a monthly allowance of P1,000 while additional athletes will start from P500 per month.
For 2025, Class A athletes of 2023 will get P1,500 per month; P2,000 per month in 2026; P2,500 per month in 2027; and P3,000 per month in 2028.
The allowance can be used by athletes to buy food and medicine, transportation, equipment for training, playing uniform and other expenses for their studies, the ordinance stated.
The criteria for the selection of Class A athletes are: should be a resident of Muntinlupa for at least one year during the time of his training or joining a competition; recommended by the coach; and those who represent Muntinlupa who win gold, silver and bronze medals in international, national, regional and invitational competitions certified by the Philippine Sports Commission, National Sports Association, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Education and International Sports Federation.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, are you confident that the raise of allowance for the local Class A athletes will boost their moral and encourage more locals to excel in sports?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the progressive City of Muntinlupa, the City Government officially raised the cash incentives for its local athletes who are able to win medals in varied local and international competitions, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
The Muntinlupa City government increased the cash incentives to athletes winning in international and local competitions including the Olympics, and Asian and SEA Games.
Mayor Ruffy Biazon signed Ordinance 2023-091, passed by the Muntinlupa City Council, giving incentives and rewards to athletes bagging gold, silver and bronze medals in international, national, regional and local competitions.
The ordinance covers athletes and coaches representing Muntinlupa who win in contests sanctioned by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), International Olympic Committee (IOC), National Association (NSA) and the city government.
It also applies to athletes and coaches who are residents of Muntinlupa and are part of the sports development program of the city, and winning athletes who represent the country who have lived in Muntinlupa for at least a year.
“Our city is definitely proud of Muntinlupeños excelling in sports. It is but fitting that we reward their hard work and support their continuous pursuit of excellence,” said Biazon.
The new local law amended Ordinance 18-299 approved in 2018, which gave cash incentives to winning athletes and their coaches.
Under the new ordinance, Olympians winning gold, silver and bronze medals will get P750,000, P500,000 and P250,000, respectively.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what is your reaction to this development? Do you think that the higher cash incentives would inspire more locals to engage in sports events and win?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
As I write this, many people around the world are focused on the 2022 Winter Olympics (AKA Beijing 2022) as it is a sports spectacle. Along the way, I read two notable articles recently published by CBN News relating to not just the Olympic games but also the persecution towards Christians in China as well as other people which has been happening for years now. That being said, there is a need to pray to God for the sake of those who are being persecuted by the wicked forces of this world we live in.
The upcoming Olympics in Beijing are putting a spotlight on China’s human rights abuses, and rightfully so.Religious freedom conditions are continuing to deteriorate in China. Things were so bad for one house church, that they fled together to South Korea. Now, that same group of Chinese Christians could be repatriated.
This is the dangerous reality for the 60 members of the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church, nicknamed the “Mayflower church.” South Korea has chosen to deny these asylum-seekers, but they deserve a place in the land of the free and the home of the brave.
In China, Pastor Pan Yongguang and his congregation faced increasing pressure. By 2014, authorities were often interrogating him multiple times a week, urging him to join the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-approved Three-Self Patriotic Movement. Yet, refusing to teach Party-approved doctrine, Pastor Pan resisted.
Chinese authorities targeted the church for extra surveillance. Soon, the church-run elementary school was evicted. It was devastating for parents in the church who simply wanted to educate their children with a Christian worldview.
Pastor Pan explained the situation to Radio Free Asia, saying, “Our church would educate our children about our religious beliefs, and the police would come along and force them to enroll in school so they could be brainwashed. They didn’t want us to teach our children the Bible, and children are banned from attending church. This went against our faith and our consciences.”
The church held a vote in 2019, the majority choosing to leave the country together to start over in a place that would afford them religious freedom. They fled together to Jeju Island in South Korea and applied for asylum. Sadly, South Korea — a country that accepts almost no refugees — has denied their asylum applications multiple times. Members of the group have appealed the decision to the highest court and were again rejected. Now, they have less than 14 days to leave the country.
Pastor Pan said, “I have been charged with subversion of state power, colluding with anti-China foreign forces and human trafficking. [That’s because] I took these believers out of China, so now I’m suspected of trafficking or smuggling them. Just one of those charges would be enough to send me to jail for a very long time.” Pastor Pan’s friend, Pastor Wang Yi is currently serving a 9-year prison sentence for “subversion of state power” for his uncompromising and outspoken allegiance to God’s Word. If he’s forced to return to China, Pastor Pan could face something similar.
The hopes of the Mayflower church members were modest. They wanted to educate their children as they thought best — incorporating biblical teachings — and live peacefully with their families and attend their church. Yet, under the CCP, this is not guaranteed in China.
The Mayflower church no longer feels safe in South Korea, and that is not an unreasonable fear. Church members have received repeated calls from someone claiming to be from the local Chinese consulate, trying to entice them to come to the consulate. Multiple church members who remained in China were arrested and threatened by Chinese State Security agents accusing the church members who fled to South Korea of committing “treason.” Now, without legal status in South Korea, the congregants will be largely vulnerable without state protection.
Chinese authorities can make the lives of people whose religious beliefs the government disapproves of very uncomfortable. I know from experience. Before the United States accepted me, I was a leader in a house church in China. I was forced to flee to Hong Kong before finally making it to America. This country has afforded me and my family the freedom and opportunity to flourish. Now, the Mayflower church needs the same refuge and generosity America has so often extended.
Pastor Pan and the church members have expressed a desire to come to the United States. The United States is well-positioned to help them. Will the State Department step up?
The Mayflower church has exhausted all options in South Korea. The State Department should admit Pastor Pan and his congregants as humanitarian parolees and offer them asylum in the United States. American churches and resettlement agencies are already prepared to help give this group a fresh start. The State Department’s own annual religious freedom report details the CCP’s brutal religious persecution; it’s time for the U.S. government to act with that reality in mind and help this group of persecuted Christians while we have the chance.
The above details truly disturbing. Freedom to worship the Lord and read His Word is restricted in China. It is not surprising, really, because Communism is itself evil and very opposed to God the Heavenly Father, His Son Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The same thing can be said about other parts of the Satanic Left like Marxism, Socialism, liberalism and other modern forms like Critical Race Theory (CRT), rabid left-focused feminism, wokeness, Cancel Culture, unrestrained secularism, unrestrained atheism and more. There is also the connection China has with American government leaders who are secretly working for them to weaken America’s sovereignty and rule of law.
Truly we the faithful children of God are living in a very divided and harsh world. What is worldly is unholy. As such, I urge you readers – including those who are lost and unsaved who don’t realize the evil influences of the Left – to look up to God, follow His Word, pray to Him wholeheartedly (not ritually) and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you in praying for the persecuted as well as the nations being attacked by China and other evil forces (like terrorist-sponsor Iran).
Before proceeding to the other CBN News article, I encourage you all to watch these related CBN News videos below…
The next article is more news-oriented about China, the Winter Olympics and the persecution towards Chinese Christians and others. For more perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the February 2, 2022 article published by CBN News and I urge you to pay close attention to the details. Some parts in boldface…
Some human rights groups are calling this week’s Olympics scheduled to start on Friday in Beijing the “Genocide Games.”
China is accused of holding more than 1 million ethnic Muslims in concentration camps while continuing to severely restrict religious freedom and trample on human rights.
“They have oppressed basically every dissent in China,” Wu’er Kaixi told AP.
Kaixi is Uyghur, and at just 21-years-old, he fled China for his leading role in the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.
“It’s a country that uses Olympic as a platform to show muscle to the world, while they’re at the same time oppressing dissent and violating human rights within their own country,” he said.
The Chinese government has denied all accusations of any human rights abuse.
“It creates a situation of plausible denial. It calls these concentration camps vocational training centers to eliminate poverty in the region, to eliminate terror among Muslims, which is absolutely laughable,” says Nina Shea of the Hudson Institute. “Our military is estimated 1 to 3 million of these Muslims have been incarcerated for indoctrination in these camps.”
The United States, along with the U.K., Australia and Canada, are staging diplomatic boycotts of the Games by not sending government officials in protest of Beijing’s human rights abuses.
“We must show that the United States is [an] unyielding and unapologetic advocate for human rights and unafraid of speaking the truth and upsetting General Secretary Xi and his Communist Party thugs,” says Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL).
Activists are urging athletes and sponsors to speak out during the games.
“Your silence is their strength. This is what they want more than anything: that the world will play by China’s rules, that we will follow China’s lead, that we will look away from these atrocities and crimes for the sake of business as usual,” says Lhadon Tethong of the Tibet Action Institute.
Meanwhile, it’s business as usual as Beijing continues its typical crackdown on political and religious activists ahead of sensitive dates, like Friday’s opening ceremonies.
“They round up the dissidents and known critics of the regime or people that they think will speak out, they put them in detention, they’re called black jails, they are hidden detentions, it’s unofficial, it’s extrajudicial, and they do that as a pre-emptive strike so that there is no opportunity to protest,” says Shea.
With the eyes of the world turning toward Beijing, Voice of the Martyrs is launching PrayforChina2022.com to remind people to pray for China’s Christians.
“Christians are seen as a threat, their message is seen as a threat, and the government is doing everything in their power to keep that message from spreading,” says Todd Nettleton, Voice of the Martyrs’ Chief of Media Relations.
China’s President Xi Jinping has severely suppressed religious freedom in recent years, especially going after Christians.
China sits at number 17 on Open Doors’ World Watch List of the 50 most dangerous countries for Christians.
“China is using a blanket of surveillance monitored by artificial intelligence to watch the movements of people of faith. It’s even using facial recognition to monitor those who enter places of worship,” says Open Doors President David Curry.
Thus far, thousands from more than 100 countries have pledged to pray during the Olympic games.
At this point, you my readers should be aware that the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing are not really meant to be celebrated as China’s persecution against Christians and others continue to happen. Never allow yourselves to be fooled. Keep having unwavering faith in the Lord! Resist the dark forces of this world and stand with God, His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit! Never compromise!
Pray for the persecuted so that the Lord will lift them up and punish the wicked. The wicked will then repent to Him and submit themselves to Him.
As mentioned earlier, we need to pray to God to stop the persecution by China (as well as the persecution done by other dark worldly forces towards others) and lift up all those who have fallen down, help those who are being held in prison and getting tortured, and lift up those who are suffering from terrorism. Never let the Olympic Games distract you! For added insight, watch the videos below about the wickedness of Communism and how it negatively affects people to this day. Yes, it is indeed true – socialism, Communism, Marxism, progressiveness, political correctness, Cancel Culture, authoritarianism, fascism, totalitarian rule, atheism, secularism, terrorism, discrimination, dictatorship, poverty, idolatry, brainwashing, injustice and violence always go together and they truly represent the evil of Satan.
Pray to the Lord to lift up others!Remember that Lord Jesus is the definitive and true Savior for all! Pray also that the faithful who are suffering will retain unwavering faith to the Lord no matter what happens. Preach God’s Word to others and remind people that God will never abandon those who are faithful to Him! Refer to the following scriptures below and let these empower you and others through faith!
Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice.
Isaiah 41:10 (AMPC)
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
John 14:6 (NASB)
“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.”
John 15:18 (NASB)
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV)
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified nor dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9 (NASB)
Why would anyone harm you if you’re passionate and devoted to pleasing God? But even if you happen to suffer for doing what is right, you will have the joyful experience of the blessing of God. And
Don’t be intimidated or terrified
by those who would terrify you.
But give reverent honor in your hearts to the Anointed One and treat him as the holy Master of your lives. And if anyone asks about the hope living within you, always be ready to explain your faith with gentleness and respect. Maintain a clean conscience, so that those who slander you for living a pure life in Christ will have to lie about you and will be ashamed because of their slander. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if it is in God’s plan, than for doing evil.
Christ suffered and died for sins once and for all—the innocent for the guilty —to bring you near to God by his body being put to death and by being raised to life by the Spirit.
1 Peter 3:13-19 (TPT)
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 5:10-12 (NKJV)
Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”
Revelation 2:10-11 (NKJV)
Little children, you can be certain that you belong to God and have conquered them, for the One who is living in you is far greater than the one who is in the world. They belong to this world and they articulate the spirit of this world, and the world listens to them. But we belong to God, and whoever truly knows God listens to us. Those who refuse to listen to us do not belong to God. That is how we can know the difference between the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.
1 John 4:4-6 (TPT)
Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
Romans 12:19 (NKJV)
Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,”
says the Lord.
Romans 12:19 (NLT)
Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
Romans 12:19 (NASB)
Beloved, don’t be obsessed with taking revenge, but leave that to God’s righteous justice. For the Scriptures say:
“Vengeance is mine, and I will repay,” says the Lord.
Romans 12:19 (TPT)
From this point on, I would like to reach out to all the lost and the unsaved people reading this. Are you frustrated with religion? Have you been living in bondage for too long? Did the atheists, the humanists and the secularists deceive you? Were you victimized by a religious zealot? Have you been persecuting Israel while supporting the terrorist-sponsored Palestinians and the wicked BDS movement? Have you been living as a homosexual or as a transgendered person? Are you still prioritizing addictions to sex, drugs and other inappropriate elements over the Lord? Have you been causing trouble as a social justice warrior (SJW)? Did you spend an entire life worshiping statues, statuettes, images, people and relics? Have you been condemning churches and people of faith for a long time now? Have you been working as an agent of Iran to cause terror on others? Are you a toxic person or one of those modern-day Leftist activists (Black Lives Matter, Democratic Socialists of America, the abortionists and others) who got fed up fighting for worthless causes? Did you kill someone and have been living so long with the guilt? Have been practicing sorcery and witchcraft?
All of that darkness mentioned above can finally end and you can decide to do it! How? You can save yourselves by submitting yourselves to the Lord Jesus willingly and realize He is the Light! Glorify only the Lord!
There is no force and no coercion here. You have time and freedom to decide to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. For those who have decided to get born again now and gain salvation, please read the instructions and follow the prayer that I learned from my first pastor.
Are you ready? Firstly, open your heart to the Lord and pray this simple prayer in sincerity from your heart:
Father God,
I thank You. I believe Jesus is Your Son. I believe that He died for me and redeemed me from all of my sins. He took my sins and, Father, thank You for loving me and You demonstrated Your love for me through Your Son Jesus Christ. Forgive me for all of my sins. Jesus, I open my heart to You. I welcome You to enter into my heart. I confess today that You are now my Lord and Savior. Thank You for forgiveness. I receive forgiveness. Thank You for Your blood that cleansed me from all of my sins. I will follow You, Jesus. Thank You for Your plan. I receive the Holy Spirit. And Holy Spirit, help me to follow the will of God in my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Congratulations! You are now a child of God! You have received Holy Spirit in your heart! This is easily your greatest decision ever made and also the greatest miracle of your life. Always praise, thank and honor the Lord. No more darkness in your life caused by politics, radicalism, toxicity, rebellion, religion, unbelief, evil, idolatry, traditions and rituals! Leave behind the darkness of your life and don’t look back to it. Remember that idolatry is evil, Purgatory is a lie, penance is a deception and Satan always used religion and unbelief to prevent people from being saved by the Lord.
With Lord Jesus, you are already moving forward and the best is yet to come! You also have a personal relationship with God, a relationship that is strictly off-limits to others (even to your household members or biological family members).
With your new life realized, make an effort to get yourself copy of the Holy Bible (start with New King James Version), study it and apply its lessons into your life no matter what situation you are in right now. I also recommend you to join a local Christian church that God has chosen for you (note: ask Him for a local church!) and find your place in the spiritual family (God’s family!). Be planted when the Lord shows you the way! Worship the Lord together with them and always remember that faith, not religion, is essential in your personal relationship with God. When you are at home, be in your room with the door shut and have fellowship with our Heavenly Father. On a personal level, practice Christian Habits in reference to what I published here and here. Remember the truth that God rewards the faithful abundantly and continue to be people of the Word. Declare your love for Him as well!
The Holy Bible is the ultimate authority and nothing else comes close to it for it is the Word of God. Remember always that Lord Jesus did not die on the cross to start religion at all. He died to redeem us all and showed that we must be led by faith in Him, faith in the Holy Spirit and faith in God the Heavenly Father. He rose from the dead and made His earthly presence felt once more to those who believed in Him. Lord Jesus ascended to Heaven and He promised to return in the future. His return is what we must always remember and keep living with holiness under the watch of God.
We can do our part in building up God’s kingdom here on Earth by preaching His Word, blessing the Jewish people and saving the countless lost and unsaved souls around us by leading them to Lord Jesus. Living as a Christian is always about the personal relationship with the Lord, and it is certainly not about religion. Never let the idolaters, the idol makers and other sinister forces fool you into becoming unholy. With God, nothing is impossible!
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. 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/
Business tycoon Ramon S. Ang with Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz. (photo from Ramon S. Ang Facebook page)
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Philippine News Agency (PNA) article. Some parts in boldface…
San Miguel Corp. president Ramon Ang sees Hidilyn Diaz as a game-changer after she ended the Philippines’ 97-year hunt for its first Olympic gold in Tokyo.
“Hidilyn is the country’s trailblazer in our successful Olympic gold medal quest. After years of heartbreaks, she came through for us and we are very thankful as a nation,” Ang said on Tuesday.
Diaz, together with fiancé and coach Julius Naranja, personally received the PHP10 million reward Ang pledged for anyone who would capture the then elusive gold.
Diaz won the women’s 55-kg. weightlifting event at the Tokyo Olympics on July 26, making the Philippines a part of the Olympic gold medal countries’ list.
It also served as the biggest good news the Filipinos have ever received amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
“Her victory comes at a very crucial point in our country’s history when we are grappling with a pandemic and a lot of Filipinos are looking for hope as we fight this virus and cope with the difficulties it has brought,” Ang said.
Upon meeting at the SMC office in Pasig City, however, he gave Diaz a surprise gift.
Ang rewarded Diaz with two Magnolia Chick ‘N Juicy franchises that she could put up at her new condominium in Quezon City and at her hometown in Zamboanga City.
“With the franchise outlets, we will assist Hidilyn every step of the way in her journey as an entrepreneur so that she can also help other people in need of jobs. In addition to the physical stores, equipment, and training, we will also provide the initial stocks for free to get her started,” he added.
The generosity of Ramon S. Ang is truly amazing and genuine. Not only was the promised cash reward released to Hidilyn Diaz, he gifted her with commercial franchises which can add to our nation’s economy by creating opportunities for the unemployed to bounce back from poverty while providing choices to consumers looking for good products. I really like this because I truly believe that capitalism the way to prosperity and the most effective way to lift people up from poverty. Capitalism does socio-economic wonders while socialism only drags people down and ruins societies. As it is a fact that cash rewards/incentives from both the government and private sector cannot last forever as the cost of living only keeps going up, having a business that succeeds will keep prevent people from falling into poverty. To see Hidilyn Diaz gifted with business franchises is great!
For those who are not aware, Chick ‘N Juicy is a chicken rotisseries retail business that has many branches and it is being expanded. Chick ‘N Juicy sells chicken supplied by sister company Magnolia. Customers can order from them online with products like sweet roast chicken, garlic roast chicken, fried chicken drumsticks, chicken rice meals and more at https://www.chicknjuicyofficial.com/
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Are you happy about our nation’s Olympic gold medalist getting rewarded and gifted by tycoon Ramon S. Ang?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. 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 as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
There is no doubt that the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games was historic for the Philippines thanks to Hidilyn Diaz, Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam and Eumir Marcial who won four medals combined, including the Olympic gold (in women’s weightlifting).
In addition to the established law that guaranteed that the Olympic medalists will receive millions of pesos worth of incentives from the national government, San Miguel Corporation (SMC) president Ramon S. Ang will give over P20 million more in incentives to them according to a recent report by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA article. Some parts in boldface…
San Miguel Corporation (SMC) president Ramon S. Ang will give Tokyo Olympics medalists, led by the country’s very first gold medal winner Hidilyn Diaz, a total of PHP22 million in incentives for accomplishing the Philippines’ best Olympic performance to date, in 97 years of competing in the foremost international competition.
Ang’s “personal gift” or incentive to the winning athletes, as earlier announced by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) prior to the Summer Games, will consist of PHP10 million for weightlifter Diaz, PHP5 million each for boxers Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio for winning silver medals, and PHP2 million for boxer Eumir Marcial’s bronze finish.
“As a longtime partner and supporter of Philippine sports, I’m so happy for our athletes. All their hard work paid off. They’ve opened the eyes of so many Filipinos sports patrons, fans, and aspiring athletes that indeed, we Filipinos can compete and win against the best in the world in the Olympics. This is just the beginning. We have the momentum. We can only get stronger in the succeeding Olympics,” Ang said in a news release on Monday.
“I’m especially grateful to Hidilyn, whom we’ve supported for several years now, for giving honor to the country by winning our very first Olympic gold medal. We can build on these successes to develop stronger sports programs and produce more Olympic winners like Hidilyn, Carlo, Nesthy, and Eumir,” he added.
Ang also said the Olympic athletes, as well as their coaches and teams, gave the Philippines more than just medals.
“The message of this Olympic campaign for us Filipinos is clear. We are resilient in the face of challenges and we do not back down from adversity. This pandemic is perhaps one of the greatest challenges in our lifetime. Thank you Hidilyn, Carlo, Nesthy, and Eumir for giving us hope and inspiration during this critical time. You showed us that nothing is impossible,” Ang said.
Ang added that as the Olympics showcased the outstanding athletic feats that fully-trained athletes are capable of, it also serves as a reminder that people are not limited, and that Filipinos should endeavor to keep fit and healthy in the face of Covid-19 pandemic.
“Aside from following health protocols to stop the transmission of the virus and getting vaccinated, we should also do our best to make sure we are mentally and physically fit and healthy during this crisis. I believe that will help us a lot in coping with the stresses of this time,” Ang said.
Before the pandemic, SMC consistently supported the country’s participation and hosting of international competitions, including the staging of 2019 Southeast Asian Games.
Wow! The deep generosity of Ramon S. Ang is undeniable and he is absolutely right that great achievers who competed in very tough competitions should be rewarded handsomely. While Republic Act Number 10699 (RA10699) guarantees that the national government will release incentives for national athletes who won medals in specific competitions, private sector-provided incentives are undeniably helpful and very welcome. Thank our Heavenly Father for all the success achieved and the blessings that manifested! Thank the Lord also for the tremendous Olympic success the Philippines achieved!
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Are you very happy for everything that our nation’s four Olympic medalists achieved for the Filipino people at the Tokyo Olympics? Are you delighted to learn that the Olympic medalists as well as all the other Philippine Team members who did not win medals at the Tokyo Olympics will be rewarded accordingly?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. 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 as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
With so much focus on the respective Olympic victories of Hidilyn Diaz (gold in women’s weightlifting) and Nesthy Petecio (silver in women’s boxing) as well as the remaining chances of the Philippines to win more medals at the Tokyo Olympics, it is natural to forget all the other national athletes who failed to win any medals.
There is however a breakthrough for the non-medalists among the Philippine team members at the Olympics as it was announced yesterday that such athletes will actually be rewarded half-a-million Philippine pesos each thanks to the generosity of the MVP Sports Foundation. In short, the Olympic non-medalists will not go home empty handed (praise and thank the Lord).
For being part of the Philippines’ most successful Olympic campaign ever, even those who failed to land a podium finish in this year’s Tokyo Olympics will still receive a monetary reward.
The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) announced on Thursday that the MVP Sports Foundation will be giving away PHP500,000 each to the Olympic non-medalists.
“Everyone on Team Philippines in these ‘Golden Olympics’ deserve all the praises, and in this case, incentives, they need,” POC president Bambol Tolentino said. “Qualifying for the Olympics is already that difficult, what more competing in the Games themselves.”
Benefiting from this development are rowing’s Cris Nievarez, taekwondo’s Kurt Barbosa, skateboarding’s Margielyn Didal, shooting’s Jayson Valdez, gymnastics’ Carlos Yulo, boxing’s Irish Magno, judo’s Kiyomi Watanabe, weightlifting’s Elreen Ando, golf’s Juvic Pagunsan, athletics’ EJ Obiena (pole vault), Kristina Knott (200m run), and swimming’s Remedy Rule and Luke Gebbie.
The place in the history of the Philippines’ 2020 Tokyo Olympics team has been secured when Hidilyn Diaz won the country’s first-ever gold in the women’s 55-kg weightlifting event.
Nesthy Petecio added a silver in the women’s featherweight boxing event.
Still in the running for a medal are golfers Yuka Saso and Bianca Pagdanganan.
Pagdanganan finished the first round of the women’s golf event within striking distance of a Top 3 finish after going two-under-par 69 on Wednesday, good for a share of seventh place with Round 2 ongoing as of posting.
On the other hand, boxers Eumir Marcial and Carlo Paalam are already assured of medals as well but can still upgrade them to silver or even gold.
As you can see in the details above, the Philippine team of athletes at the Olympics is pretty small and yet it is the most successful in terms of medals achieved (including the nation’s first-ever Olympic gold medal). At the same time, it is only right for the athletes to be provided something not only because everyone is struggling during this COVID-19 pandemic but also because training for important sports events representing the country requires a lot of money for the years to come.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Do you think that the P500,000 incentive for each non-medalist is good enough? Do you think that more private enterprises should donate more to the non-medalists?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. 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 as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
Like the late Philippine boxer Anthony Villanueva, Nesthy Petecio will bring back home an Olympic silver medal (thank the Lord for another medal for the nation) now that the finals of the women’s featherweight (54-57kg) division is over. Yesterday, Petecio did her best in the quest for another Olympic gold medal as she fought with Japan’s Sena Irie resulting a loss by means of a unanimous decision.
Regardless, Petecio has been congratulated by many in the Philippines and her silver medal finish is still highly significant as it boosted the nation in the Olympic medal rankings (now 1 gold and 1 silver). Her also achievement brings back memories of Anthony Villanueva who, like her, settled for the silver medal in the same sport (specifically men’s featherweight division) in the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games. Villanueva lost to the Soviet Union’s Stanislav Stepashkin in the final match.
To put things in perspective about the Petecio-Irie fight, posted below is the excerpt from the GMA Network sports news report. Some parts in boldface…
A gallant Nesthy Petecio fell short as she settled for a silver medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after bowing to hometown bet Sena Irie of Japan in the final round of the women’s featherweight division Tuesday at the Kokugikan Arena.
The 29-year-old pug struggled to connect in the first round as Irie, who is nine years younger than the FIlipina fighter, utilized an effective clinch game to slow Petecio’s offense. The Japanese boxer got the nod of all five judges, 10-9.
But Petecio battled back in the second round as she broke free to landed some strong punches to secure a 4-1 scorecard and brought the bout to a decision in the last round.
In the crucial third round, Irie was able continued to be effective in grabbing and holding Petecio, though the Filipina was able to launch some power shots.
All five judges saw the round in favor of the Japanese fighter, though, as she won 5-0 to clinch the gold medal.
Irie is a very familiar face to Petecio.
She denied the Filipino boxer an outright Olympic berth when they met in the Asia and Oceania Olympic Boxing Qualifiers last March 2020.
Petecio needed to wait for a few more months before formalizing her Tokyo entry after a decision to give her the slot was made by the International Olympic Committee Boxing Task Force (IOC-BTF) early this year.
The feat also allowed Petecio to match what the last Filipino Olympic boxing medalist, Onyok Velasco, accomplished in the 1996 Atlanta Games, where he won a silver medal.
Despite the loss, it was still an inspiring campaign for the gritty Petecio.
She has opened up about her battle with mental health issues before bouncing back strong in her recent outings.
In a heartfelt interview on Stand For Truth, Petecio revealed she had to overcome depression after a discouraging loss in the 2018 Asian Games, which had her questioning her place in the sport.
But displaying true fighting spirit, the Davao-born boxer returned and captured gold in both the 2019 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championship and the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.
As you can see in the above report, Petecio went through lots of challenges behind the scenes and fortunately for the Philippines, she made it to the Olympics in Japan and defeated all the opponents which led her (and the nation) in the finals of her weight division.
Considering all what she went through, the Olympic silver medal finish is still highly significant for the Philippines and it proves that the nation is indeed improving globally in sports while also making its place in 21st century Olympic history look even better. Adding more good news here is the fact that the Philippine hunt for gold in the Olympics is not yet over.
For those of you based in the Philippines reading this, do your part congratulating and thanking Petecio for winning Olympic honors for the Philippines. Also be sure to thank our Heavenly Father for this blessing for the country.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are based in the Philippines, what is your reaction to Petecio taking home the Olympic silver medal? If you saw the fight on TV, do you think the judges were correct in scoring the boxing match?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. 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 as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
Author Carlo Carrasco 