Tag: Olympics

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 155

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 155

carlocarrasco

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 You, Me and the Movies react to Swordfish – Let’s be clear here. No matter how much the movie critics rejected it, the 2001 film Swordfish remains very entertaining to watch and the creativity behind it made it memorable. I still remember the sudden impact the movie had on the public shortly after it opened in cinemas twenty-five years ago…a lot of moviegoers were stunned by the elaborate explosion early in the story and many people were so impressed with John Travolta’s performance as Gabriel, they forgave him for his involvement in the super bad movie Battlefield Earth. Considering how entertaining Swordfish really is, there are still too few movie reaction videos of it on YouTube. Fortunately, You, Me and the Movies posted their Swordfish reaction video and I encourage you all to watch it.

#2 Totally Whatever reacts to From Russia With Love – My favorite among all the James Bond movies of the late Sean Connery is still From Russia With Love. I enjoyed the film’s approach on espionage storytelling laced with Cold War political influence mixed with thrills and misadventures that are grounded that were believable. Some people find it boring while others enjoyed it for what it is. That said, I encourage you to watch Totally Whatever’s reaction video of the 1963 James Bond movie.

#3 The Dream Team of 1992 and their Impact on the World– In the history of basketball, nothing can ever be more groundbreaking than the Dream Team of 1992. I’m talking about the American basketball team that played in the Olympic Games with NBA legends like Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, John Stockton, Chris Mullin, Karl Malone, and Charles Barkley to name some. Behind the scenes, getting the NBA legends to work together as a true team was challenging due to egos and, fortunately, serious adjustments were made over time. To rediscover the Dream Team and how they impacted the whole world through basketball, watch the video below.

#4 Traditional and Popular Edo Cuisine in Japan – When it comes to Japanese food, have you ever heard of Edo cuisine? Edo cuisine refers to the style of cooking that developed in the city of Edo (modern-day Tokyo) during the Edo period (1603–1868). Unlike the refined, slow-paced banquets favored by the imperial aristocracy in Kyoto, Edo cuisine’s development was shaped by a booming population of hasty merchants, construction workers and the samurai. As such, Japan’s original street food culture came to be. In modern Japan, there are places where visitors can find and enjoy Edo cuisine. Watch the video below and pay attention to the details.

#5 Arcade Games Made to Suck Money from Players – If you were fond of playing games in the video arcades, chances are you may have felt like you spent too much money on playing one or two particular games that did not reward you enough in terms of fun. Indeed, there were arcade games that were design to absorb as much money from players, especially those who are obsessed with completing them or getting satisfied from the gameplay. Watch and learn from the video below.

#6 Sega Saturn and Nintendo 64 – Console gaming in the second half of the 1990s was indeed a wild period. While the PlayStation eventually outsold the competition, there are indeed very distinct features and unique gaming experiences that the Sega Saturn and Nintendo 64 offered to gamers. The two said consoles also have unique game designs as the people behind Sega and Nintendo’s respective offices had their own approach on designing them. For another round of retro gaming, watch the video below.

#7 Ashleigh Burton reacts to Rhinestone – Have you ever seen the 1984 comedy film Rhinestone? The first time I saw it was on local TV and I was really laughing at the scene wherein Sylvester Stallone started singing so wildly in a rural community whose residents love country music. This movie has a colorful performance by the late Dolly Parton (who died recently) and there is indeed chemistry between her and Stallone. By today’s standards, this comedy is considered by Stallone fans an anomaly given his huge success in 1980s Hollywood cinema with action films. If you really want to see comedy from Stallone and Parton, I encourage to watch Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video below.

#8 EOM Reacts to early X-Men movies – Were you able to watch the first three live-action X-Men movies as they were released within a 6-year period? I did. I saw X-Men (2000), X2: X-Men United (2003) and X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) in different cinemas in two cities. Each cinematic experience was entertaining but as a long-time X-Men comic book reader, I could tell that liberties were taken on the characters, settings and other elements. In recent times, YouTube EOM Reacts posted his reaction videos of the three mentioned X-Men movies and they are fun to watch one-by-one. I encourage you to watch them now.

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

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 46

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 46

carlocarrasco

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 from the 1980s to the early 2000s.

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 to the 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. Frogger Print Ad

Do you find this old ad humorous?

When Frogger was first released in video arcades in 1981, it easily attracted countless gamers offering them bouts of fun and the video game critics were very impressed with it. Considering its massive arcade success, it was unsurprisingly ported to the game consoles and home computers of the time. Parker Brothers secured the license for cartridge versions and the company produced Frogger ports for not just the Atari 2600 but also the Atari 7800. This print ad they came up with had a deliberate cartoony artwork (with a touch of humor) and an artist created a hand-drawn illustration intentionally made to resemble a screenshot from the game. I saw this ad a number of times when I read comic books in 1982.

2. The Legend of Kage Japanese Arcade Flyer

Action and excitement in ancient Japan!

In my life, I never had the opportunity to play the original arcade version of The Legend of Kage and ended up playing only the Nintendo Family Computer (Famicom) port. Behind the scenes, Taito itself came close to preventing The Legend of Kage from being released in the arcades. The company placed it in a certain game show where it received praise by many which prompted Taito to give it a full arcade release. To promote the game, the Japanese arcade flyer had lively hand-drawn artwork that perfectly reflected what the game is about, who the playable hero is and what ancient Japanese setting was used. Fortunately for Taito, The Legend of Kage became a huge commercial hit and this led to the production of ports for different consoles and computers.

3. Hyper Olympic Japanese Arcade Flyer

Arguably the best track and field game ever made for the arcades.

In 1983, Konami released their summer Olympics-inspired arcade game Hyper Olympic (titled Track & Field in other parts of the world) which offered players the opportunities to compete in a series of events with emphasis on pressing the buttons as quickly as possible. The arcade flyer Konami came up with featured fine-looking hand-drawn artwork showing athletes competing in track and field events (with the types of events displayed at the top-most part of the flyer) while showing just one screenshot (lower right) and displaying the officially 1984 Los Angeles Olympics logo (lower left). In my view, this old arcade flyer does a good job promoting both the arcade game as well as the 1984 Olympics itself. Too bad nobody makes this kind of arcade flyer anymore.

4. Terra Cresta Japanese Arcade Flyer

Did you ever play Terra Cresta in the arcades in Japan?

Nichibutsu, which produced a lot of arcade games that were released only in Japan, released Terra Cresta in Japanese arcades in 1985. It turns out Terra Cresta is a sequel to their 1980 game Moon Cresta which itself was their first big arcade hit game. Nichibutsu literally loaded the front of Terra Cresta’s arcade flyer with lots of visuals and details. As you can see, seven screenshots of the game were displayed (each with descriptive text), a fancy looking artwork that emphasized the science fiction setting, some English descriptive text, the cocktail table arcade machine and a pretty Japanese lady wearing an aerobics outfit with legwarmers (popular in the 1980s). This flyer truly has a strong 1980s flavor.  

5. Sega Master System European Print Ad

From the early days of Sega’s console business.

After many years doing arcade games, Sega made the bold decision to start competing in console gaming with the release of the SG-1000 in 1983 in Japan. Even though Nintendo was a very tough competitor with the best-selling Famicom, Sega did not give up and proceeded to launch their console in America and Europe referred to as the Master System. In a serious attempt to gain customers specifically in England, Sega made a print ad showcasing a family sitting in front of a TV set with the young boy playing a racing game on a Master System. Looking at how the descriptive text was presented, it was clear that Sega emphasized bringing the arcade game experience into the comfort of home while also promising that a lot more new games will be released in the near future. This is an eye-catching ad and also a fine example of aggressive marketing by Sega.

6. Ken Griffey Jr.’s Winning Run North American Print Ad

What was the best baseball video game you ever played?

Following the commercial success of the 1994 Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) game Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball, Nintendo got Ken Griffey Jr. again as endorser and proceeded with the follow-up Ken Griffey Jr.’s Winning Run. With the highly talented Rare (Donkey Kong Country) chosen as game developer, Nintendo was highly confident with the baseball sequel and the 2-page print ad reflected that. The Ken Griffey Jr.’s Winning Run ad had a striking image of a broken baseball bat on one side while the game’s details, two screenshots and the creative description dominated the other side. While I am not so interested in baseball, I can say that this old print ad is indeed attention-grabbing.

7. 2Xtreme North American Print Ad

From the time when the X Games were wildly popular.

Remember how popular the X Games (Extreme Games) were back in the 1990s? Early in the life of the PlayStation console, Sony released ESPN Extreme Games which sold over a million copies worldwide. As expected, a follow-up titled 2Xtreme was approved for a 1996 release. Sony came up with a 2-page ad that had an upside-down X Games participant with roller blades dominating most of the space and six screenshots were displayed. The descriptive text in the lower part of the ad was deliberately written to be hip and cool.  

8. Macross Plus Japanese Arcade Flyer

The front.
The rear.

Based on the mid-1990s anime OAV, the Macross Plus video game from Banpresto was designed as a vertical-scrolling 2D shooter that captures the feel and intensity of the anime’s spectacle. The front of the Japan-only arcade flyer showcased the YF-19 Excalibur, the YF-21 Sturmvogel and the VF-11 Thunderbolt (plus the basic arcade controls on the lower-left) which were all rendered in 3D polygons to delight Macross fans and gamers who are interested in new 2D shooting experiences. The rear of the flyer showed additional details and it even includes English text descriptions. Strangely, no screenshots of the game were displayed. Being a long-time Macross fan, I can say this old arcade flyer is still engaging to look at.  

9. Macross VF-X2 North American Print Ad

An impressive looking print ad for a Macross video game that never got released in North America.

In the late 1990s, Bandai prepared to launch Macross VF-X2 (the sequel to 1997’s Macross Digital Mission VF-X) on the PlayStation console in North America. This was a very intriguing move because Bandai never brought the mentioned 1997 Macross game outside of Japan. Shortly after the official announcement of a North American release, Macross VF-X2 got featured in video game magazines, an English demo of the game (first mission only) was distributed through Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine, and Bandai came up with the 2-page print ad you see here. Unfortunately, Macross VF-X2’s North American release got cancelled because of copyright issues and legal obstacles (note: Harmony Gold held the Western rights to Robotech and actively blocked the release of genuine Macross products in America). As such, this impressive looking Macross VF-X2 print ad for North America ended up as a promotion for nothing!

10. Star Wars: Racer Arcade Japanese Print Ad/Poster

This is one of the many video games based on Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.

In 1999, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace was a massive box office hit in theaters around the world and it marked a new era of Star Wars movies with digital effects available. Similar with 1993’s Jurassic Park, George Lucas’ movie also had a huge lineup of merchandise, action figures and video games. The pod racing from the movie became the basis for Star Wars: Racer Arcade which was released in Japan on June 2000, and then in America a month later. To help arcade operators attract gamers and Star Wars fans, a print ad and poster were released featuring a very dynamic image of pod racing from the game dominating the background, a few screenshots displayed and some computer-generated of characters and vehicles. At the lower right part of the ad/poster is the image of the arcade machine which has a huge screen, a seat and control panel. The descriptive Japanese text was written to excite both fans and gamers. Did you play this Sega-produced Star Wars game in the arcades?

11. Konami Wai Wai World Japanese Print Ad

Can you spot Simon Belmont, Mikey Walsh and King Kong in this Japan-only print ad of Konami Wai Wai World?

Going back to the late-1980s, Konami released a 2D adventure game on the Famicom that was very ambitious as it featured side-scrolling treks, vertical-scrolling shooting sequences and, most notably, a cast of characters that emphasized crossovers between intellectual properties of gaming. I am talking about Konami Wai Wai World (sometimes called Konami World for short) which had characters, settings and elements of Konami’s own properties like Gradius, Castlevania and Twin Bee. Not only that, King Kong of King Kong 2: Ikari no Megaton Punch and Mikey Walsh of The Goonies were also featured which is astonishing because they represent entertainment intellectual properties that were licensed to Konami for video game adaptation. That said, the emphasis of crossovers and excitement was shown in the form of 2D character sprites in this Japanese print ad of Konami Wai Wai World. This is the kind of game that Konami itself will never be able to make again and to do a remake or an enhanced re-release of Konami Wai Wai World will require overcoming all the legal obstacles in the way.

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

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 45

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 45

carlocarrasco

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 from the 1980s to the 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 to the 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. Tron Arcade Flyer

The front.
The rear. The details were clearly written for arcade operators.

Remember how dazzling the 1982 movie Tron was when you first saw it? That film had groundbreaking computer-generated graphics and the filmmakers worked very hard to tell a story covering both the real and digital worlds. Along the way, the movie had strong video game vibes which resonated with gamers at a time when arcade gaming was wildly popular in America. Believe it or not, an official arcade game of Tron was released the same year as the movie and it was a massive success. The arcade flyer perfectly captured the vibe and look from the movie and the machine itself had a control stick the same with what was shown to viewers. This old flyer is still great to look at.

2. Green Beret Japanese Arcade Flyer

This is a very stylish flyer.

Konami was a highly prolific game publisher in the 1980s and it had lots of games that became huge blockbusters. During the decade, their game developers were strongly influenced by both Hollywood action movies and the Cold War. In 1985, Konami released the militaristic game Green Beret in Japanese arcades and to promote it, they created an arcade flyer featuring a very stylish artwork highlighting military images of soldiers (including a guy smoking) and warfare. This ad still looks great and it was not surprising it helped the game achieve huge commercial success. Green Beret was released in America as Rush’n Attack.

3. Darius Japanese And North American Arcade Flyers

The Japanese flyer.
The North American flyer.

Released in arcades worldwide in 1987, Darius is a 2D side-scrolling shooter game from Taito which had a science fiction concept of the starship Silver Hawk (piloted by players) which sets on a mission to destroy an evil empire before it could destroy the world called Darius. The game was successful, most notably in Japan and it eventually led to sequels being released later. What I find intriguing is how the arcade game was promoted in Japan and in North America. The Japanese arcade flyer had this intriguing artwork that reflected a blend of sci-fi with a touch of horror. The North American flyer had a strong sci-fi touch with a male and female model wearing costumes (that made them look futuristic) standing beside the Darius machine. Which flyer looks more appealing to you?

4. Data East’s Arcade Alley Print Ad

Fun and excitement emphasized in this print ad.

There is nothing like porting arcade hits to computer systems for gamers to enjoy. In 1988 there in Europe, U.S. Gold released Data East’s Arcade Alley for computer systems and it included ports of popular Data East games like Kung Fu Master, Express Raider, Breakthru, Tag Team Wrestling, Last Mission and Karate Champ. U.S. Gold’s print ad showed a guy in the middle of a video arcade looking on both sides to pick which game to play which strongly emphasized the essence of the game collection (offered in cassettes and disk). This old ad is still amusing to look at.

5. Blasteroids European Print Ad

Blasteroids for the Europeans.

Blasteroids, the third entry in Atari’s popular Asteroids games series, was released in European arcades by Image Works and eventually landed on computer systems there. For Europe, the ad makers came up with artwork showing a creepy, green space monster surrounded by a few spaceships to emphasize the game’s concept. The said monster eventually appeared on the game covers of the computer ports of Blasteroids later. This ad shows creative adjustments taken to promote games in different parts of the world.

6. Dream Team USA Japanese Print Ad

The legends of the NBA in the Japanese version of EA’s Team USA Basketball. Retitling the game as Dream Team USA made more sense because “Dream Team” was a much more popular reference than “Team USA Basketball”.

Remember how wildly popular the Dream Team (Team USA in Olympic basketball) was in 1992? With NBA legends Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton and more representing America in the basketball tournament of the Olympic Summer Games in Barcelona, Spain, the Dream Team (a media-led reference for the team) was easily the main attraction not only for basketball fans worldwide but also those who craved for excitement in international sports events. That said, Electronic Arts secured the license to make an official video game about the Dream Team and actually released the game Team USA Basketball within 1992 for the Sega Genesis. As basketball is popular also in Japan, EA released the game there titled as Dream Team USA and came up with a Japanese print ad to seriously capture gamers’ attention. This ad is still effective in delighting both basketball and video game enthusiasts.

7. Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back And Return Of The Jedi Print Ad

No screenshots of games used. Just the official images from the posters of the two movies.

Back in the 1990s, there was a resurgence of the original Star Wars trilogy across different forms of media. Apart from the VHS re-releases of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, there was a slew of video games of Star Wars released during the decade and the fans had new stuff to entertain themselves with. Along the way, the company THQ secured the rights to Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi for re-release to coincide with the 1997 “Special Edition” theatrical releases of their respective movies. THQ’s print ad simply used official images of Return of the Jedi and inserted a tiny bit of The Empire Strikes Back, and they did not show any screenshots that could have been helpful for Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and Game Boy users. Still, it was smart for THQ to print two excerpts of game reviews to sell the games.

8. Super Mario RPG North American Print Ad

A mesmerizing ad for the acclaimed Super Mario RPG.

Remember back in the 1990s when Nintendo and role-playing game giant SquareSoft had a very healthy business relationship that proved successful? Before their eventual breakup (related to Square signing with Sony for PlayStation development), the two companies joined forces to make a fully featured role-playing game for the SNES featuring Super Mario and related characters…Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. To promote the game, Nintendo (the publisher) created a mesmerizing 2-page print ad highlighting their characters while emphasizing the role-playing and fantasy aspects of the game. At the time of its release, Super Mario was often identified with platform games and the Super Mario RPG print ad was a serious attempt to lure fans into RPGs which the SNES was already rich with. This ad, which I first saw in gaming magazines in 1996, still looks great.

9. NBA Shootout ’97 Print Ad

Did you play this on PlayStation in 1997?

If there is anything I miss about 1990s console gaming, it is the fact that there were a lot of NBA-licensed video games that were offered to players with different tastes in basketball gaming. Sony had its own exclusive NBA games series called NBA Shootout and they were pretty aggressive selling its own basketball games along with the PlayStation going up against the likes of Electronic Arts (NBA Live), Sega and others. This is reflected in this 2-page print ad of NBA Shootout ’97 which was a PlayStation-exclusive release. They featured a photograph of Lakers’ Eddie Jones about to dunk and showed screenshots as well as the descriptive text written with excitement. Since it first started, NBA Shootout was basketball in full 3D polygonal graphics backed with motion-captured moves and dunks that players could enjoy only PlayStation. This ad is a reminder that Sony used to make official NBA games and there is a lack of variety and players’ choice of NBA gaming in today’s world.

10. Legend of Legaia North American Print Ad

Perhaps someone at Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) thought Legend of Legaia was a horror video game.

There was a time when Sony produced Japanese RPGs (JRPGs) exclusive for PlayStation consoles. One of them was Legend of Legaia which had a combat system that emphasized martial arts and it had an interesting fantasy concept. For its 1999 North American release, Sony came up with a very bizarre 2-page print ad that had digital artwork with a very strong horror vibe and the visual designs within the three screenshots shown were clearly not related with it. How this ad was made remains unclear. This is easily one of the most misguided gaming ads of the 1990s.

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

WTA Institutes Genetic Testing To Ensure Fair Competition In Women’s Category

WTA Institutes Genetic Testing To Ensure Fair Competition In Women’s Category

carlocarrasco

Another big victory for women in sports and common sense happened as the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) officially updated its policy requiring applicants for competition to take a genetic test that screens for the SRY gene, according to a report by Breitbart News. The newly enacted rule effectively bans men who identify as women from joining women’s competition.

For insight, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) implemented its own policy on the protection of the female category in Olympic sports.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt of the Breitbart report. Some parts in boldface…

The Women’s Tennis Association has enacted a new rule banning men who identify as women from competition by requiring genetic testing to qualify to play in the women’s sport.

The WTA’s updated policy requires applicants for competition to take a genetic test that screens for the SRY gene, which is found on the male Y chromosome, according to the New York Post.

Potential players who test negative for SRY are immediately qualified to play in the women’s category. A positive result will trigger closer scrutiny before any possibility of becoming eligible, the tennis organization ruled.

Players who refuse testing will be required to sign a document acknowledging that their refusal could result in disciplinary action after any investigation into their application.

“The WTA’s women’s eligibility policy is designed to promote equal athletic opportunities in women’s professional tennis and maintain fair competition for all players participating in WTA tournaments,” the policy states.

“The WTA recognizes that this is a sensitive and complex issue and is committed to treating all players with dignity and implementing the policy in a respectful and thoughtful way,” the organization added after releasing the news.

The sport governing body said the change came after discussion with current members and a review of actions by other international women’s sport organizations.

The new rule seems to be a replacement for previous rules that allowed transgender athletes to compete if their testosterone was below 2.5 nmol/L for at least two years before competing.

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova hailed the WTA’s move, calling it a “step in the right direction.”

In another post on X, Navratilova wrote that she is “very happy that we at the WTA are clear that we are a women’s association and only women, as in females, can compete at the highest level of women’s tennis.”

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you agree with the WTA’s new policy on ensuring fair competition in women’s category? Were there any women’s tennis competitions in your locality that allowed transgendered women to participate with the real women? Do you wish to see all sports competitions be free from identity politics and the toxic agenda of the woke, the social justice warriors (SJWs) and the LGBTQIA+ mob?

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

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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 @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

IOC Announces New Policy Regarding The Protection of the Female (Women’s) Category in Olympic Sport

IOC Announces New Policy Regarding The Protection of the Female (Women’s) Category in Olympic Sport

carlocarrasco

In a major move to ensure fairness in women’s sports competitions, to ensure the protection of women who participated in such events and to preserve its own integrity as a global sports governing entity, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced a brand new policy which will be applied on the 2028 Olympic Games.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the official announcement of the IOC. Some parts in boldface…

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced a new Policy on the Protection of the Female (Women’s) Category in Olympic Sport and Guiding Considerations for International Federations and Sports Governing Bodies.

Following today’s approval of the policy by the IOC Executive Board, it will apply for the LA28 Olympic Games onwards, and is not retroactive.

The policy explains that, for all disciplines on the sports programme of an IOC event, including the Olympic Games and for both individual and team sports, eligibility for any female category is limited to biological females.

Eligibility for the female category is to be determined in the first instance by SRY gene screening to detect the absence or presence of the SRY gene.

Based on scientific evidence, the IOC considers that the presence of the SRY gene is fixed throughout life and represents highly accurate evidence that an athlete has experienced male sex development. Furthermore, the IOC considers that SRY gene screening via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample is unintrusive compared to other possible methods.

Athletes who screen negative for the SRY gene permanently satisfy this policy’s eligibility criteria for competition in the female category. Unless there is reason to believe that a negative reading is in error, this will be a once-in-a-lifetime test.

With the rare exception of athletes with a diagnosis of Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (CAIS) or other rare differences/disorders in sex development (DSDs) who do not benefit from the anabolic and/or performance-enhancing effects of testosterone, no athlete with an SRY-positive screen is eligible for competition in the female category at an IOC event.

Athletes with an SRY-positive screen, including XY transgender and androgen-sensitive XY-DSD athletes, continue to be included in all other classifications for which they qualify. For example, they are eligible for any male category, including in a designated male slot within any mixed category, and any open category, or in sports and events that do not classify athletes by sex.

Speaking about the policy, IOC President Kirsty Coventry said: “As a former athlete, I passionately believe in the rights of all Olympians to take part in fair competition. The policy that we have announced is based on science and has been led by medical experts. At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat. So, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category. In addition, in some sports it would simply not be safe.”

She continued: “Every athlete must be treated with dignity and respect, and athletes will need to be screened only once in their lifetime. There must be clear education around the process and counselling available, alongside expert medical advice.”

Why was the policy developed? – The IOC administration was tasked with drafting a policy on the protection of the female category in an Olympic context that would reflect the findings of the Working Group on the Protection of the Female Category, various IOC consultations, and consideration of recent developments, including in international human rights law.

The policy was developed on the basis that it is universally accepted that providing for a female category is necessary to allow both males and females equal access to elite sport. It was guided by the IOC’s modern goals relating to equality (equal opportunities for female athletes in finals, on podiums and in championships); enhancing Olympic value (featuring both women’s and men’s finals in every sport); and visibility and inspiration (celebrating female athletes on the Olympic podium to inspire and represent women and girls worldwide).

What were the findings of the working group? – The working group reviewed the latest scientific evidence, including developments since 2021, and reached a clear consensus. Male sex provides a performance advantage in all sports and events that rely on strength, power and endurance. To ensure fairness, and to protect safety, particularly in contact sports, eligibility should therefore be based on biological sex. The group also agreed that the most accurate and least intrusive method currently available to verify biological sex is screening for the SRY gene, a segment of DNA typically found on the Y chromosome that initiates male sex development in utero and indicates the presence of testes/testicles.

For additional insight, watch the YouTube videos below.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Considering all the details included and emphasized, are you convinced the IOC justified its new policy? Were there any women’s sports events in your locality that allowed transgendered women (males who identified themselves as females) to participate over the past five years? Do you believe that transgendered women should be prohibited from joining women’s sports events?

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

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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

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 31

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 31

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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.

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

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 52

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 52

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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.

#2 Universal 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.

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

4th Asian Youth Games (AYG) set for September 7 to 17, 2025 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

4th Asian Youth Games (AYG) set for September 7 to 17, 2025 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

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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.

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

Muntinlupa City raises monthly allowance of Class A athletes

Muntinlupa City raises monthly allowance of Class A athletes

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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?

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

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

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

Muntinlupa City raises cash incentives for local athletes who are able to win in local and international sports events

Muntinlupa City raises cash incentives for local athletes who are able to win in local and international sports events

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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.

For the full listing of cash incentives under the new ordinance, click https://mb.com.ph/2023/7/1/muntinlupa-lgu-increases-cash-incentives-to-winning-athletes-in-international-local-games

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?

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

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

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