Tag: spending

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 156

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 156

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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 videos I found.

#1 Virtua Fighter anime revisited – Remember back in the 1990s when Sega struck gold with the groundbreaking success of the first Virtua Fighter game? Virtua Fighter was their first 3D polygonal fighting game and it easily attracted attention as well as tons of money from arcade gamers and later console gamers. Virtua Fighter also sparked strong sales for the Sega Saturn console in Japan. Along the way, Sega itself got involved in anime productions with their ownership of TMS Entertainment and by the year 1995, the Virtua Fighter anime TV series was launched. To be clear, the Virtua Fighter anime series was not a simple production as the creators behind it made something cohesive as well as the characters worth following. To learn more about the said anime, watch the GTV Japan video below.

#2 A look at the legacy of Reggie Lewis – When the late Reggie Lewis first entered the NBA as a rookie, the Celtics were still the best in the Eastern Conference and their famous starting five of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Dennis Johnson and Danny Ainge were aging. During his second season, Lewis improved heavily as he replaced the injured Larry Bird, and he went on to become a very productive Celtic over the next several years. Tragedy struck in 1993 when Lewis died at age 27 and the details behind his heart condition and death are complicated to say the least. What most people did not know was that Lewis entered the NBA to lift his family (note: his mother was a drug addict) up from poverty. The legacy of Reggie Lewis is explained in detail in the video below and I encourage you all to watch it.

#3 The Creepiest Episodes of Unsolved Mysteries – Recently, YouTuber Minty Comedic Arts posted a video about the ten creepiest episodes of Unsolved Mysteries (hosted by the late Robert Stack). In that video, I saw most of the creepy episodes featured and there were a few ones that I saw for the first time. Indeed, almost all the episodes of Unsolved Mysteries can be viewed for free on YouTube and there are some that were missing due to legal reasons. Now is the time to watch Minty’s video below. Tell me if you find them creepy.

#4 American cheese in Japan – With the intensifying demand for cheese around the world, there is now a so-called battle for market share. In Japan, most cheese offered are imported and their prices have gone up significantly affecting the restaurants and local consumers. Along the way, cheese produced in the United States have entered Japan in growing numbers and it is being offered to local businesses and consumers for their consumption and cooking needs. America has key advantages with regards to production of milk and cheese and there is a renewed focus on exporting products aggressively. Watch and learn from the Nippon TV video below.

#5 The Unreleased Marvel 2099 Video Game of the 1990s – Thirty years ago, I read a video game magazine and got excited over the news about an official video game based on the Marvel 2099 comics franchise. I already read lots of issues of Spider-Man 2099, X-Men 2099, Ravage 2099, Punisher 2099, Doom 2099, and the 2099 Unlimited quarterly series. That said, I was delightfully surprised that the Marvel 2099 game was set for release on PlayStation. Then as time passed by, nothing happened and the unreleased game was forgotten. To find out exactly what happened, go watch the in-depth video below.

#6 Chopping Mall reaction videos – How many times have you seen a horror movie or a cinematic misadventure that happened inside a shopping mall? In 1986, the low-budget techno-horror movie Chopping Mall (original title: Killbots) was released and it had a lot of scenes filmed inside the Sherman Oaks Galleria (which was also a location for Commando and Fast Times at Ridgemont High) in California. What makes Chopping Mall unique is its concept of security robots going rogue and harming people which brings back vibes of The Terminator. In today’s age of rampant artificial intelligence (AI) development, Chopping Mall has gotten more socially relevant and it has been featured in many movie reaction and retro review videos on YouTube. I found for you guys and gals the more engaging videos of the said movie.

#7 Adults Who Went to the Extreme for Disney and Buried Themselves with Debt – What is the worst thing you can do with your time and money with regards to entertainment from the woke Disney company? A few years ago, a survey found that 24% of all Disney-goers accrued debt during their trips along with 45% of parents with children (aged below 18). To be very clear, visiting a Disney theme park with the family is very costly and the very expensive rates on the food, transportation, accommodations, souvenirs and services related with Disney won’t fade away. Even with those painful prices, there still are certain adults who put themselves at huge financial risks because they could not restrain themselves from enjoying anything Disney. The Disney adults are real, and they lack discipline on spending. In the long run, these people are morally and spiritually lost. You better not follow their bad examples, and you can find out why by watch the informative video below.

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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

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 41

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 41

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 topics and the related videos I found.

#1 Varied videos of Friday The 13th Part 2 – While it is a fact that Friday The 13th Part 2 is not exactly a great slasher horror movie, it is still an improvement over its predecessor and first established Jason Voorhees as the deadly antagonist. Its production values were also better as well. Believe it or not, there are lots of retro movie video reviews and movie reaction videos about it and I posted below the best ones you can enjoy.

#2 When people push science too far (dramatized with XCOM games) – Science can be helpful but if scientists allow it to overwhelm and control them, science can be disastrous. In fact, science can make someone much less human. The YouTuber Woahvi made the video below to make a point about going extreme with science while using footage and concepts of the popular video game XCOM: Enemy Unknown (and the sequel) which I myself played a lot. There is a lot of engaging stuff to see in the video and I encourage you to watch it now.

#3 Commiewood in chaos over Donald Trump’s amazing comeback – It is a known fact that Hollywood has too many Commies, woke nuts and other Leftists. Unsurprisingly, Commiewood blindly supported the Democrats and their presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Because Donald Trump pulled off the greatest American comeback by winning the US Presidential Election, Commiewood elements are agonizing and falling apart. Watch and learn from the videos below.

#4 A look at Undercover Cops – I never played Undercover Cops on the arcade nor on console. In fact, I don’t even remember seeing it anywhere back in the 1990s. I recently visited the YouTube channel of PatmanQC and decided to watch his retrospective video about Undercover Cops. It is a fun video to watch to discover what the game is about and what I missed out on. Watch it!

#5 Critical Drinker’s Production Hell videos about Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and Full Metal Jacket – Apart from his reviews and analytical videos about movies, I find Critical Drinker’s Production Hell series engaging to watch. He clearly does his own research about the troubled productions of movies as well as conflicts between certain people involved. I encourage to watch his videos about Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and Full Metal Jacket. Each video is loaded with details and Critical Drinker’s presentation is great.

#6 The reckless spending and debt of Kamala Harris and the Democrats – If you want a modern look at spending done so recklessly that it led to debt and division, look at the failed US Presidential campaign of Commie Kamala Harris. To say the least, Harris and the Democrats raised over a billion Dollars and spent massively to literally buy the endorsements of celebrities, pay to have Harris in shows and podcasts, transport die-hard supporters from state to state to create the illusions of massive attendance, and more. Watch and learn from the detailed, explanatory video of Sky News Australia below.

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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

Philippine economy grew by 5.6% in 2023

Philippine economy grew by 5.6% in 2023

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The results are finally in. The economy of the Philippines grew by 5.6% for the year 2023 and this was short of the government’s own declared target of 6% to 7%, according to a GMA Network news report.

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

The Philippine economy grew slower at 5.6% in year 2023, falling short of the government’s target as elevated interest rates resulting from high inflation environment dampened consumption, according to data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Wednesday.

The economy, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP) or the total value of goods and services produced in a period, grew by 5.6% from October to December 2023, PSA chief and National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa said at a press conference.

This is slower than the 7.1% growth rate seen in the fourth quarter of 2022. It is also a deceleration from the upwardly revised third quarter 2023 GDP growth rate of 6%.

The fourth quarter economic performance brought the full-year 2023 economic growth rate to 5.6%, slower than the 7.6% full-year 2022 GDP growth.

This is below the government’s target range of 6% to 7% for 2023’s full-year GDP growth.

“While this growth is below our target of 6 to 7% for this year, this keeps us in the position of being one of the best-performing economies in Asia,” National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said during the press briefing.

Comparing the growth rates of neighbors in the region, the Marcos administration’s chief economist said the Philippines’ fourth quarter growth surpassed that of China (5.2%) and Malaysia (3.4%) while falling behind Vietnam (6.7%).

“More importantly, our full-year GDP for 2023 is now 8.6% higher than pre-pandemic levels,” Balisacan said.

High inflation, interest rates – The NEDA chief said the slowdown seen in 2023 could be attributed “possibly to effects of past interest rate increases.”

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ policy-setting Monetary Board has raised the benchmark interest rate by 450 basis points since May 2022 to temper inflation, which resulted from global supply disruptions and economic uncertainty following Russia’s full-scale attack and invasion of Ukraine since February 2022.

Notably, the Philippines’ full-year inflation — which measures the rate of increase in the prices of goods and services — accelerated to 6% from 5.8% in 2022.

“The impact of inflation is on Household final consumption expenditure. We saw the impact on food expenditure… directly affected by inflation,” Mapa said.

Spending on food for the whole year grew at 8.1%, slower than 12.4% in 2022.

“We are concerned about the low growth in real spending on food due to high food prices, though it has moderated in recent months,” Balisacan said.

Meanwhile, household final consumption expenditure decelerated to 5.3% from 7% in the previous quarter in 2022.

For the whole year, household spending slowed down to 5.6% from 8.3% in 2022.

“The government will be relentless in managing inflation, especially for basic commodities such as food. Our efforts include improving the efficiency and building resiliency of the agriculture value chain, utilizing strategic trade policy when domestic production is inadequate, and establishing mechanisms to empower consumers to exercise their market power to combat inflation,” Balisacan said.

Likewise, government final consumption expenditure contracted by 1.8% in the fourth quarter, from 3.3% growth in the same period in 2022.

Full year, government spending grew 0.4%, slower than the 4.9% growth in 2022.

Balisacan said the decline in state spending last year was “largely due to the fiscal consolidation program.”

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think 2024 will be a better year of growth for the Philippine economy? Do you think more government spending will boost economic growth without adding much to inflation?

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

Philippine economic growth for 2023 could hit 5.5%

Philippine economic growth for 2023 could hit 5.5%

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In the views of the First Metro Investment Corporation (FMIC) and the University of the Asia and the Pacific (UA&P), the economy of the Philippines could grow by 5.5% for the year, according to a news article by Philippine News Agency (PNA). 2023 has been an economically challenging year and many anticipated that the national economy won’t grow as high as it did in 2022.

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

The Philippine economy is projected to grow by 5.5 percent this year, driven by the growth in government spending, a report released by the First Metro Investment Corporation (FMIC) and the University of the Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) said.

In the September issue of The Market Call released on Wednesday, FMIC and UA&P said Philippine economic growth in the third quarter of the year will likely reach 5.0 to 5.2 percent.

For the fourth quarter of this year, FMIC and UA&P project the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) to grow by 6 percent.

This would bring the full year GDP growth to 5.5 percent which is slightly below the government’s 6 to 7 percent target for this year.

“Despite the weak July-August, we think the NG will accelerate further its spending on infrastructure and transportation for the rest of the year, and employment will have strong rebound in September,” the report said.

The Philippine economy grew by 4.3 percent in the second quarter of this year. During the quarter, government expenditure contracted by 7.1 percent.

FMIC and UA&P however expect government spending to accelerate in the second half of the year.

“National Government took up the slack in July spending as it ramped up expenditures by 16.2 percent year-on-year in July through higher social protection and infrastructure outlays,” the report said.

Aside from government spending, FMIC and UA&P also expect manufacturing and construction to drive growth.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the national economy can do better than the 5.5% growth foreseen by the First Metro Investment Corporation (FMIC) and the University of the Asia and the Pacific (UA&P)?

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

Philippines PC sales of 2022 4th quarter falls down 48.9%

Philippines PC sales of 2022 4th quarter falls down 48.9%

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Were you able to buy a brand new laptop or desktop over the past six months? This question I asked because according to a news report by BusinessWorld, personal computer (PC) sales in the Philippines decreased by almost 49% in the 4th quarter of 2022. There is an ongoing downward trend that cannot be ignored.

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

The personal computer (PC) market in the Philippines had 464,000 units in the fourth quarter of 2022, representing a 48.9% decrease compared to the same period the previous year, according to the International Data Corp. (IDC).

The PC market also declined 18.5% from the previous quarter.

“The market declined across notebooks and desktops,” IDC Philippines Associate Market Analyst Jeeno Velasco said in a statement on Monday.

“Household consumption was largely fulfilled and refocused on other spending activities geared toward the holiday season.”

He also noted that macroeconomic pressures further drove inventory rationalization among vendors.

Top five PC companies in the Philippines during the quarter were Acer Group, Lenovo, HP Inc, ASUS, and Dell Technologies.

The commercial space has not bounced back, as reported by the market intelligence company, due to weakened government and enterprise sectors which declined 44.7% and 25.2% from the previous quarter, respectively.

It noted that the national government has not announced any major plans involving information technology spending, while the enterprise segment is more reluctant to procure more units due to its negative financial outlook.

“Demand for desktops and the influx of company workers required to report back to work should have increased shipments for the corporate sector, but this didn’t pan out,” Mr. Velasco said.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think economic factors like high inflation, rising interest rates and a potential recession overseas will keep the local PC market down for the rest of the year?

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

HSBC sees Philippine economy growth of 4.4% for 2023 due to key factors

HSBC sees Philippine economy growth of 4.4% for 2023 due to key factors

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HSBC, one of the biggest players of the global financial industry, recently made its forecast of the Philippines growing economically at 4.4% for the year 2023, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). There are certain factors mentioned in HSBC’s assessment for the nation.

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

Hikes in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) key policy rates are expected to dampen the strong domestic output for 2023, with an executive of HSBC forecasting a 4.4 percent expansion this year.

In a virtual briefing on Thursday, HSBC chief investment officer for Southeast Asia, Global Private Banking and Wealth, James Cheo, said private consumption contributed to the strong recovery of the domestic economy last year but this is seen to be limited by the monetary tightening aimed to temper the elevated inflation rate.

Other factors that boosted gross domestic product (GDP) last year include investments, higher government spending on infrastructure and increased mobility following the resumption of face-to-face schooling, he said.

“Looking into 2023, the country’s growth will slow and the recovery is going to be more gradual as the reopening boost fades and monetary tightening weighs on domestic demand,” Cheo said.

As of the third quarter of last year, growth, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP), rose by 7.76 percent, exceeding the government’s 6.5 to 7.5 percent growth assumption for this year.

The BSP’s key rates have been hiked by 350 basis points from May to December last year, after being at record-low of 2 percent in 2020, as monetary authorities help address the elevated inflation rate.

Last December, domestic rate of price increases further accelerated to 8.1 percent, the highest since November 2008, due to faster annual jumps in goods and energy prices.

Cheo said “household’s consumption in 2023 will likely be curtailed” given the elevated inflation rate.

“Strong employment, tourism recovery, expanding production and retail sales, and public investment will continue to support growth in 2023,” he said.

With inflation expected to remain high, Cheo projects the BSP to make three consecutive 25 basis point increases this year, “pausing at 6.25 percent by Q2 (second quarter) 2023” and keeping this decision until at least the second half of 2024.

The above article ended with HSBC predicting that the Philippine Peso will weaken to the United States Dollar at a rate of US$1 = P56.50.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you believe that inflation and interest rates will somehow slow down the ongoing economic growth later this year? Do you think that Philippine tourism will become a factor to help the Philippine economy grow at least 5% this year? What do you think the national government and its economic managers should do to maintain strong growth as the nation keeps on recovering from the depression of the COVID-19 crisis? Have you been managing your personal or business finances carefully recently?

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