Republicans – Page 4 – Author Carlo Carrasco

Trump’s America Is a Shining Example of Solving The Illegal Immigration Crisis

September 4, 2025August 29, 2025carlocarrasco

There is no doubt that United States President Donald Trump and his administration have successfully secured their borders as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed during a recent cabinet meeting that absolutely zero illegals entered their country over the past three months, according to a Newsmax news report.

Trump’s America not only succeeded in securing the borders, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues to apprehend and deport illegal immigrants with criminal records, other illegal immigrants volunteered to be deported back to where they came from, the safety of the citizens has improved and more citizens have gotten employed this year. Homeland security is working in tandem with the other departments of the government such as Defense, Justice and Immigration. These developments are indeed change that Americans and Trump supports can believe in.

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

The U.S. has gone three straight months without an illegal immigrant entering the country and 1.6 million inside the country have self-deported, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Tuesday.

Noem, speaking during a Cabinet meeting that aired live on Newsmax and the Newsmax2 free online streaming platform, thanked President Donald Trump for his support and said that her department is following through on his campaign promise to make America safe again.

“Today, the average family and individual that lives in this country is safer than they’ve been in years because of what you’ve done,” Noem said. “We’ve gone three months in a row now with zero illegal aliens coming into this country.“

Noem also thanked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for helping her agency with border enforcement.

“They’re down at the border with us, still helping us keep that border secure and make sure we know who’s coming into this country,” she said. “You’ve arrested and brought to justice hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens, criminals that have perpetuated violence against American people. Sir, you’ve had 1.6 million people voluntarily go home to their home countries that were here in this country illegally. Because of your strong message and you enforcing the law, they decided to go home on their own so that they could come back the right way someday and be American citizens.

“But what I think is one of the most remarkable statistics is that under Joe Biden’s administration, 88% of new jobs went to foreign born individuals. Under your administration, 2.5 [million] Americans have jobs today that they didn’t under the previous administration. And they have those jobs because you created opportunities.

“You made this country safe. You opened up the economy. You enforced the law. Now people can get up and provide for their families and go to work every day and be confident in that.“

Noem also talked about the savings made on the president’s immigration crackdown, noting it cost American taxpayers between $8,000 and $9,000 to support each illegal immigrant “in what they were taking out of our social programs, out of Social Security.”

“You saved this country billions of dollars, about $15 billion just in what those illegal aliens were costing us in social programs,” Noem said. “I’ve cut over 450 different contracts at the Department of Homeland Security. We’re getting rid of corrupt ones, ones that were not efficient for taxpayers, weren’t focused on our mission of keeping us safe. And we’ve also renegotiated and brought in our biggest vendors and said, you have to do better.

“And we’ve saved the taxpayers over $13 billion doing that, as well. So, we’re continuing to be accountable with taxpayer dollars [and] focused on doing the mission of what you’ve committed, and that’s to keep us safe and to make sure we put Americans first.”

Trump appeared pleased to hear Noem’s report, thanking Noem, Hegseth and Tom Homan, his point man for mass deportations and border security.

Wow! What was revealed during the cabinet meeting was indeed a bunch of breakthroughs. The Trump administration is truly progressing with its immigration policies, economic efforts and putting Americans first. 2025 still has a few months left and already the United States is blossoming and has established itself as the shining example of solving the illegal immigration crisis and preventing foreigners from trespassing into the country.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you like what the Trump administration is doing with regards to border security, illegal immigration, job creation and the wellbeing of American citizens? Are you still surrounded by people who love illegal immigrants while they keep on attacking the Trump administration for serving the American people? How many people in your local community still follow the Democrats and the Islamo-Leftists?

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

Keep Call Centers in America Act of 2025 Causes Disturbance on Philippines Information Technology and Business Process Sector

August 21, 2025August 12, 2025carlocarrasco

More than twenty years ago, I had a job at an American call center in Mandaue City, Cebu Province here in the Philippines. Back then, the call center industry of the nation was very young and yet quickly growing in terms of revenues, new foreign investments and new jobs. Today, the Philippines has a large information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector.

That being said, America today is quickly reforming under the leadership of President Donald Trump and already business ties and trade relationships have quickly been changing. In the United States Senate (US Senate), a bipartisan bill was formally filed – the Keep Call Centers in America Act of 2025.

Already, the proposal is already disturbing the information technology and business process management sector of the Philippines as revealed by the Manila Bulletin in its business news report.

To make things clear, I am not taking sides here. I am a citizen of the Philippines who worked for a few months in an American call center a very long time ago and at my age, I have no intention to return to call center work. I am already engaging in a new business that has nothing to do with call centers and business process management. As for how America’s leaders deal with call centers and business processing centers located in different parts of the world, that is their decision to make. It would be interesting, perhaps intriguing, to see how the Philippines IT-BPM sector will adjust if ever the Keep Call Centers in America Act of 2025 becomes a law someday.

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

The Philippine information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector is bracing for the potential impact of a bill in the United States (US) Senate that seeks to end the practice of offshoring among American call centers.

The IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), the country’s leading IT-BPM group, said the industry is currently monitoring the progress of this proposed legislation.

“At this stage, we are continuing to track developments,” IBPAP told Manila Bulletin.

The proposed Keep Call Centers in America Act of 2025, filed as a bipartisan bill in the US Senate, is aiming to curb offshoring or relocation of business operations from one country to another as it pertains to call center jobs.

In a statement by Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego, a Democrat, he said the bill looks to reverse the continued decline of call center operations in America, driven by the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) offshoring.

Citing data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Gallego noted that the American call center industry will lose approximately 150,000 workers by 2033 if such practices persist.

“The Keep Call Centers in America Act would work to reverse this trend by limiting federal benefits to companies that ship call center jobs overseas,” said Gallego, who filed the bill with West Virginia Senator Jim Justice, a Republican.

Under the proposed bill, companies are required to notify the US Department of Labor (DOL) at least 120 days before relocating operations overseas or contracting out call center work to another entity that relocates abroad.

The DOL, meanwhile, will be mandated to maintain a public list of employers that have relocated operations. Companies will remain on the list for five years “unless they return an equal or greater number of call center jobs in the US.”

Call center firms on this list will be ineligible for new federal grants and guaranteed loans and will not be given preference when awarding contracts.

In a CBS News report, Gallego said that aside from supporting the return of domestic jobs, the bill will likewise address consumer concerns when it comes to “security around their private information.”

The bill, if enacted, will cover businesses with either 50 or more full-time employees, or 50 or more employees whose combined work hours total at least 1,500 per week. As such, the measure will impact large-scale call center operations such as those that are currently operating in the Philippines.

Based on a 2023 report by the Ateneo Policy Center, more than 200 US-based firms have invested approximately $7.8 billion to set up operations in the Philippines since 2003.

The proposed Keep Call Centers in America Act could not have come at a worse time, given that the Philippines’ services exports are slowing down.

In a report, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) lead economist Emilio Neri Jr. noted that services exports shrank by 4.2 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2025, citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). This followed a 6.3-percent growth rate in the first quarter, which decelerated from a 13.2-percent expansion in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Neri said the services export sector is weighed down by a sharp drop in travel and signs of weakness in the IT-BPM sector.

To examine the details of the Keep Call Centers in America Act of 2025, click here and here.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you know a lot of people here in the Philippines who work in American call centers? Do you seriously believe that if ever the Keep Call Centers in America Act of 2025 becomes a law, it will someday compel American companies to close down its call centers here in the Philippines and create a wave of new job losses? Without American companies and clients, do you think the Philippines IT-BPM sector will shrink dramatically? Do you think the Keep Call Centers in America Act of 2025 will be passed by US Congress and get signed into law by US President Trump?

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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America sets 19% tariff on Philippine goods after crucial Trump-Marcos meeting

July 24, 2025July 23, 2025carlocarrasco

Months after initial communications were made (click here and here), Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. finally met with US President Donald Trump in the White House and this ultimately resulted in a 19% tariff on Philippine goods by America, according to two related news articles (click here and here) by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

For the newcomers reading this, America initially announced a 17% tariff on products from the Philippines last April and it was recently revised to 20% which surprised many here in the Philippines. Now that the American tariff for Philippine goods has been settled at 19%, President Marcos called the reduction significant. It should be noted that America generated more than $100 billion in new revenue from tariffs under Trump this year.

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

Philippine exports to the United States (US) will now be subject to a 19 percent tariff, down from the 20 percent Washington initially planned to impose, US President Donald Trump announced following what he called a “beautiful visit” by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the White House.

Part of the new deal includes granting zero tariffs for American products bound for the Philippines.

*Philippine President Marcos with US President Trump at the White House. (photo source – the White House)*

“It was a beautiful visit, and we concluded our Trade Deal, whereby The Philippines is going OPEN MARKET with the United States, and ZERO Tariffs. The Philippines will pay a 19% Tariff,” Trump posted on his Truth Social account early Wednesday (Manila time).

*Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt tweet of President Trump’s TRUTH Social post about the meeting with President Marcos and new trade deal.*

He also described Marcos as a “very good and tough negotiator.”

Latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that the US comprised the highest export value amounting to USD1.115 billion, or 15.3 percent of the country’s total exports in May this year.

Posted below is an excerpt from the other PNA news article related to Marcos’ description of the 1% reduction of tariff by America as well as his clarification about Philippines’ zero tariff approach on certain American products coming to the country. Some parts in boldface…

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. defended the Philippines’ new trade arrangement with the United States (US), saying the reduced 19 percent tariff on Philippine exports—down from the proposed 20 percent—is a “significant achievement,” amid questions over its fairness.

“One percent might seem like a very small concession. However, when you put it in real terms, it is a significant achievement,” Marcos said in a press briefing following his meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday (Manila time).

The President acknowledged that the new deal also opens key Philippine markets to American products—particularly vehicles, agricultural goods, and pharmaceuticals—but said the arrangement will benefit Filipinos through lower prices and stronger bilateral trade.

“We will open that market and no longer charge tariffs on that… para makamura naman ‘yung mga – maging mas mura ‘yung gamot natin (so we can lower the cost of medicines),” he said.

Marcos said while the 19 percent tariff on Philippine goods is still substantial, it reflects a step forward in trade engagement with Washington D.C. and lays the groundwork for future negotiations.

For transparency, posted below is the official video from the White House YouTube channel.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you realize that there is a lot more about US and Philippines relations that go beyond the newly agreed trade agreement? Do you think America’s 19% tariff on exports from the Philippines will add challenged to the Philippine economy? What do you think about the Trump-Marcos meeting? Did you pay attention to the planned Subic Bay ammunition manufacturing plant that was mentioned? If you are based in the Philippines, do you look forward to importing American-made vehicles, agricultural products and pharmaceutical products once they enter the country without any tariffs imposed on them? Do you think the newest exchange between Trump and Marcos will make Communist China concerned or worried?

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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USAID formally shut down and incorporated into State Department

July 4, 2025July 3, 2025carlocarrasco

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 65

March 24, 2025March 24, 2025carlocarrasco

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

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 Popcorn in Bed reacts to The French Connection – The tribute to the late Gene Hackman continues. This time, however, it is the turn of Popcorn in Bed to do so by means of posting a reaction video of the classic film The French Connection. Hackman won the Academy Award for Best Actor as a result of playing Popeye Doyle in the film. If you have not seen The French Connection yet, watch it entirely first. Otherwise, watch Popcorn in Bed’s video.

#2 JFK Assassination records released – Recently the government of the United States officially released tens of thousands of pages of varied documents related to the 1963 assassination of US President John F. Kennedy. Unsurprisingly, the media and legal analysts are highlighting the records released and it is expected that new revelations could alter both public perception and historical recording of the tragedy of November 22, 1963. This development is one of the fulfilled promises of US President Donald Trump whose administration includes JFK’s nephew Robert Kennedy, Jr. Watch and learn from the selected videos below.

#3 Ashleigh Burton reacts to Unforgiven – When was the last time you saw Clint Eastwood in a Western? Eastwood’s last Western was 1992’s Unforgiven which he directed and won big in the Academy Awards in 1993. The movie also had the late Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman and the late Richard Harris. Recently, Asheligh Burton posted her reaction video of the movie and it is entertaining. The late Hackman won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in Eastwood’s movie. Given its high importance, Unforgiven has to been seen first before you (who have not seen it yet) watch the reaction video below.

#4 PatmanQC examines RoboCop versus The Terminator video games – Way back in 1992, I was excited to learn about the comic book crossover mini-series of RoboCop versus The Terminator (read my retro reviews by clicking here, here, here and here). In 1993, my excitement got reignited when the video games featuring the two sci-fi icons in another crossover got released. Unfortunately, I never got to play any of those games. In retrospect, the Terminator-RoboCop crossovers became important pieces of pop culture regardless of entertainment format, and if you want to learn about the history of the video games, watch PatmanQC’s in-depth RoboCop versus The Terminator video below.

#5 Assassin’s Creed Shadows controversies and the criticism against it – By the time you are reading this, Ubisoft’s highly controversial and condemned big-budget video game Assassin’s Creed Shadows is already available, and I have no intention to play it. I already played some games of the long-running Assassin’s Creed series but ultimately I never became a fan of it. For the newcomers reading this, Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been controversial and criticized for some time now due to a variety of reasons such as the game developers’ lack of respect towards the Japanese, the false portrayal of Yasuke as a Samurai (note: the historical Yasuke NEVER became a Samurai), insertions of wokeness (the result of DEI in Ubisoft) and more.

I really don’t like it when Leftist activists working in game companies insert their delusions and toxic values into video games which has been going on for many years now. The Assassin’s Creed Shadows controversies clearly rocked Ubisoft and brought down its credibility a lot. Video games are supposed to be fun, not interactive pieces of Leftist, woke and LGBTQ propaganda. To learn more and find out why, watch the videos below.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 64

March 21, 2025March 20, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 Popcorn in Bed reacts to Planet of the Apes sequel – Following its reaction video of the original Planet of the Apes which gathered over 136,000 views, YouTuber Popcorn in Bed posted its reaction to the sequel Beneath the Planet of the Apes, and it is entertaining watch. This could inspire you to watch the 1970 film eventually.

#2 The Democrats keep on getting more pathetic, desperate and unhinged – When Donald Trump first took office as US President in 2017, the hatred, dishonest and wickedness of the Democrats (and their supporters) got exposed. Now that Trump is back in the Oval Office, today’s Democrats have turned even worse as they have turned more evil and more reckless. Not only that, the Democrats themselves have failed the American people as seen through the four years of the pathetic Biden-Harris administration. Watch the videos below.

#3 VKunia reacts to Jaws – Recently, YouTuber VKunia posted her reaction video about Steven Spielberg’s classic film Jaws. While there are indeed a lot of Jaws reaction videos on YouTube, this new video manages to be entertaining to watch. As this is a classic film, it is advisable for you to watch Jaws if you still have not seen it. Otherwise, watch VKunia’s video below.

#4 Gene Hackman remembered – As of this writing, the late Gene Hackman is already being missed by not just his fans but also by film buffs. For those who missed the news, Hackman and his wife were found dead which was shocking. In memory of Hackman, posted below are some video clips and reaction videos about his contributions to cinema.

#5 PatmanQC examines the Terminator 2 arcade game – Back in 1993, there was a time when I played the Terminator 2 arcade shooter a lot. No matter how chaotic the visuals and gameplay were, I still went on to have fun with it. Thanks to YouTuber PatmanQC, the details behind the making of the arcade smash hit are revealed in detail in his video. Watch it now.

#6 Plant-based meat in America fails – When it comes to food, the natural meat sourced from animals will always remain the best not just for meat lovers but also for people who enjoy food for their taste, satisfaction and organic state. That being said, it is not surprising at all that the plant-based meat brands like Beyond Meat are failing and the consumers made their choices very clear. People have seen how pretentious, dishonest and manipulative the media partners-in-crime of the plant-based companies have been for years and the quality of those products (example: burger patties made from plants and lab-produced materials) are not good and also not worth paying for. Watch and learn from the video below.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 63

March 17, 2025March 10, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 US President Trump’s address to Congress – Recently, US President Donald Trump addressed the joint houses of Congress and it came at a time when his 2^nd non-consecutive term implemented so many reforms right from the start. Along the way, the Trump administration pushed back hard against illegal immigration, exposed the corruption of USAID, reinvigorated the USA-Israel alliance and more. Trump’s speech is a must-watch as it will give you a clear view on the direction of the current administration and the pathetic Democrats can only rebel and freak out. Clearly, America is back!

#2 Popcorn in Bed reacts to No Way Out – I never saw No Way Out in the cinemas when it was first released in 1987. I saw some parts of it on cable TV but decided not to watch it further since I missed the start of its showing. Recently, YouTuber Popcorn in Bed posted a reaction video about the film and I enjoyed watching how they (Cassie and Carly) reacted to several key moments of it. Oh yes, the late Gene Hackman is in No Way Out and the reaction video was posted not so long after his death.

#3 Varied developments and views about Trump’s address to US Congress – Going back to US President Trump’s address to Congress, there were lots of developments that happened along the way. One of the Democrats was so disrespectful, he got escorted out of the venue. Meanwhile, the Satanic Left mainstream news media networks ended up getting embarrassed as their own viewers reacted positively to Trump’s speech. Posted below are the must-see videos.

#4 AVGN reviews the Gex game trilogy – Remember long ago when there were several Gex videos games released across multiple platforms during the 1990s? Gex is no longer remembered by most gamers today but the first game was successful enough, it led to the release of sequels. Recently, the Angry Video Game Nerd (AVG) posted a video about the Gex video games. Check it out.

#5 The rise and fall of the Halo game franchise – If there is any video game franchise that truly defined Xbox – not only as a brand but as a series of consoles and an ecosystem for gamers – it is definitely the Halo franchise. Bungie was the original developer of Halo and the first game was already in development even before Microsoft acquired the studio. Bungie went on to produce several Halo games (from the original Xbox to Xbox 360) before leaving Team Xbox and Microsoft. Of course, the aesthetics and quality of Halo games under Microsoft’s own control changed mostly for the worse. Watch and learn from the video below.

#6 The French Connection trivia by Minty Comedic Arts – Going back to the late Gene Hackman, the most memorable of his cinematic performances that I ever saw is his role as Popeye Doyle in The French Connection. The 1971 film won the Academy Awards that mattered the most and I was fortunate enough to have seen it on a rented laserdisc in the early 1990s. Recently, YouTuber Minty Comedic Arts posted his trivia video about The French Connection which is a must-see!

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Global scandal of USAID exposed!

February 10, 2025February 10, 2025carlocarrasco

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) – the independent agency of the American government responsible for administering civilian and foreign aid – was exposed big-time by the Trump administration revealing a growing list of overseas projects funded by American taxpayers’ money.

These projects were approved by the failed Biden-Harris administration and a lot of them are related with the toxic DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) and woke principles of the Satanic Left which explains why the Democrats are angry and outraged now.

To put things into perspective, posted below is the Sky News Australia news video plus the related news report (some parts in boldface)…

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has blasted the United States Agency for International Development for having “insane priorities”.

USAID was formed in the early 1960s to administer humanitarian aid programmes on behalf of the United States government around the world.

The United States spent around $US68 billion on international aid in 2023, according to government data. Ms Leavitt publicly took aim at the agency’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion projects.

Some of the projects listed included $1.5 million to advance DEI in Serbia’s workplace, $70,000 for a production of a DEI Musical in Ireland, $47,000 for a transgender opera in Colombia and $32,000 for a transgender comic book in Peru.

For the newcomers reading this, USAID was founded in the 1960s which was the result of US Congress approving the Foreign Assistance Act in 1961 which mandated the agency’s creation and was followed with the executive order of then US President John F. Kennedy.

Going back to the USAID scandal, it is one thing for America to come up with taxpayer-funded overseas projects to help foreigners, it is completely another thing to have projects that emphasized the Satanic Leftist ideologies. Seriously, does the $32,000 for a transgender comic book in Peru and the $70,000 for a DEI musical production in Ireland have anything relevant with USAID’s traditional purposes of disaster relief, poverty relief, bilateral interests and socioeconomic development. USAID was also abused by the Democrats to fund Leftist news media outlets as well. For more insight, watch the videos below.

But there is still a lot more! The list of questionable overseas projects funded by USAID continues to grow and it includes funding for terrorism, contraception, opium growth, sex change and more. Posted below is the excerpt from the CBN News story (some parts in boldface).

Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) published another list of projects and programs she says the agency has funded over the years until DOGE stepped in.

“From funneling tax dollars to risky research in Wuhan to sending Ukrainians to Paris Fashion Week, USAID is one of the worst offenders of waste in Washington… all around the world,” Ernst posted to X this week.

The Iowa senator gave more detail in a thread noting the organization spent millions on wasteful projects including:

* “A whopping $20 million to create a Sesame Street in Iraq

* $2 million for Moroccan pottery classes and promotion

* $2 million promoting tourism to Lebanon

* More than $9 million of USAID’s ‘humanitarian aid’ intended to feed civilians in Syria ended up in the hands of violent terrorists, including an affiliate of Al Qaeda in Iraq.“

Ernst points out that millions of dollars were sent to farmers in Afghanistan to get them to grow food crops instead of opium.

“The results: opium poppy cultivation across the country nearly doubled, according to the U.N.,” Ernst wrote.

“USAID has long been a reckless, out-of-control, unaccountable rogue agency,” she concluded. “USAID has failed to put the American people first and routinely tried to cloak its actions in secrecy. Those days are over.“

A White House fact sheet also contends that American taxpayer dollars were inadvertently used to fund terrorism.

It notes:

* As much as $10 million was used by an al Qaeda-linked group for meals.

* $78,000 to a non-profit linked to designated terrorist organizations including Pakistan’s Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation — even after an inspector general launched an investigation.

* $15 million in taxpayer funds to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan to help distribute ‘oral contraceptives and condoms.’

The fact sheet lists millions of dollars in additional wasteful spending, including:

* $6 million was used to fund tourism in Egypt

* $2.5 million for electric vehicles for Vietnam

* $1.5 million to ‘advance diversity equity and inclusion in Serbia’s workplaces and business communities.’

Here in my native Philippines, there were several projects and recipients of USAID as reported by the Philippine Star. Environmental – check, health – check, assistance for LGBT – check, a mural painting event – check.

Thank the Lord for the return of US President Donald Trump whose administration has been working hard to restore dignity and meritocracy in America. The Trump administration is focused on wiping away the Democrats’ corruption and waste of taxpayers’ funds.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to the USAID scandal? Did your local government participate in any USAID-related projects that were done locally in recent years? Are you tired of seeing wokeness, Leftist and DEI being emphasized in USAID projects that were launched during the years of the failed Biden-Harris administration? Do you think USAID should be abolished and the countries that benefited from it should move on and launch their own projects to help their respective people independently?

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

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 54

January 29, 2025January 22, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 The return of US President Donald Trump – Donald Trump is officially back as President of the United States. Officially speaking, he has been counted as the 45^th and now the 47^th US President. Within the first day of his new administration, President Trump proceeded with the reforms by signing them with his approval. Indeed, America is back with Trump and this means removing the woke trash left behind by the failed Biden-Harris administration. The following videos were selected for your interest and enlightenment.

#2 TBR Schmitt reacts to 1997’s Air Force One – I don’t know with you readers but I enjoy watching the movie reaction videos of YouTuber TBR Schmitt (a couple who enjoy movies together). In light of Donald Trump’s return as US President, I posted below TBR Schmitt’s reaction video of 1997’s Air Force One (note: for other YouTube reaction videos of the said movie, click here) which is entertaining to watch. If you have not seen Air Force One, watch the movie first before seeing the reaction video.

#3 The rise of Vietnam – It cannot be denied that Vietnam truly progressed economically over the decades. Previously ravaged by war, Vietnam is now in a position to replace China as the manufacturing hub of Asia and they already have tech giants like Samsung and Apple on their side. This video by ColdFusion explains in details the historical background and the astronomic rise of Vietnam. It’s a must-watch.

#4 VKunia reacts to Rocky – Have you been watching the movie reaction videos of YouTuber VKunia? She has lots of reaction videos and most of them are enjoyable to watch. For this post, I am sharing with you her reaction video of the one movie that made Sylvester Stallone a movie star – Rocky. Not only that, VKunia herself used to live in Philadelphia (Rocky’s city). Watch VKunia’s Rocky reaction and observe how Stallone’s film draws her reactions.

#5 PatmanQC examines the Atari Jaguar – Back in the early to the mid-1990s, console gaming was already dominated by the Japanese, particularly by Sega (with the Genesis) and Nintendo (with the SNES). Along the way, while reading a video game magazine, I was very surprised to see the announcement of the Atari Jaguar console. Back in those days, a lot of people thought Atari faded away in the console business. The Jaguar eventually failed commercially but it still made its mark in video gaming history, and already a lot of YouTubers posted retrospective videos about the said Atari console. If you want an in-depth look at the history of Atari Jaguar and what its games were, watch PatmanQC’s video below.

#6 You, Me and the Movies react to Mac and Me – Have you ever been interested in a movie geared towards children with a creative mix of Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and a story that has similarities with E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial? Such a movie exists and it is called Mac and Me. You, Me and the Movies recently posted their reaction video about it and you have to see it.

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Did many undocumented Filipinos leave America before Donald Trump’s return as US President?

January 27, 2025January 26, 2025carlocarrasco

By the time you are reading this, it has been days since Donald Trump formally returned as President of the United States. That being said, it has been months since Filipinos staying illegally in America have been advised to not wait to be deported by Trump’s new administration which itself has made clear it new immigration policy. In fact, the search, apprehension and deporting of illegal immigrants in America are already in effect (click here and here). In a recent report by GMA Network, the Philippine embassy in the United States is not certain how many undocumented Filipins left America to avoid the mass deportation.

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

The Philippine Embassy in Washington has yet to determine if many undocumented Filipinos have already left the United States ahead of the anticipated mass deportation under the Trump administration, an envoy said on Monday.

“We are not sure whether many of those that are undocumented na ating mga kababayan have left,” Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez told Unang Balita in an interview.

Romualdez said the embassy has advised undocumented Filipinos to leave the US as deported individuals will not be allowed to come back.

“Yun nga ang advice namin sa kanila. Kung wala talaga silang legal path, it is better they go na muna para makabalik sila dito at some point in time. Kasi kapag ma-deport ka, talagang hindi ka na makakabalik,” he said.

(That’s our advice to them. If they really don’t have a legal path, it’s better they go already so they can come back here at some point in time. Because once you get deported, you really can’t come back.)

According to Romualdez, the US government said those who have criminal records as well as the 1.3 million immigrants who are already processed will be prioritized for deportation.

In November last year, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said it would assist over 300,000 undocumented Filipinos in the US who could possibly be deported.

DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said that there are an estimated 370,000 undocumented Filipino immigrants in the US.

“The DMW is prepared to assist our OFWs, whether they are documented or undocumented OFWs. Under the directives of our President, a whole-of-government team is here to provide support to possible deportees,” Cacdac said.

During Trump’s first term in the White House from 2017 to 2020, over 3,500 Filipinos were deported with the highest being recorded in 2018 with 503.

In his victory speech, Trump reiterated that he would close borders in the United States and would impose stricter laws against illegal aliens.

“We gonna have to seal up those borders, we are gonna have to let people come into our country. We want people to come back in, but they have to come in legally… We are gonna start by putting America first,” he said.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think many illegal Filipinos have left the United States before Trump formally returned as US President? Have members in your local community turned too sympathetic to illegal immigrants and perceived them as refugees? Do you realize that there are violent criminals and terrorists among the many millions of foreigners who illegally entered the United States under the failed Biden-Harris administration?

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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