United States of America – Author Carlo Carrasco

Venezuela To Turn Over 30 Million to 50 Million Oil Barrels To America

January 8, 2026January 7, 2026carlocarrasco

Following the capture of socialist dictator Nicolas Maduro, US President Donald Trump announced that Venezuela will turn over to America thirty million to fifty million barrels of oil which will benefit people of both nations, according to a news report by Newsmax.

For the newcomers reading this, Maduro ruled Venezuela for more than a decade and his predecessor was none other than the demon Hugo Chavez. Maduro brutalized his fellow Venezuelans and is responsible with the intense deterioration of their national economy. Under Maduro, Venezuela cooperated with the terrorist state of Iran, Communist China and Putin’s Russia. Maduro is also involved in drug trafficking and narco-terrorism.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from a Newsmax report. Some parts in boldface…

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Venezuela is turning over 30 million to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States, with proceeds he said will benefit both the Venezuelan people and Americans.

Trump made the announcement in a post on Truth Social, just days after he authorized U.S. military action to remove socialist strongman Nicolas Maduro from power in Venezuela.

“I am pleased to announce that the Interim Authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 MILLION Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil, to the United States of America,” Trump said in the post.

“This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!” he added.

Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as Venezuela’s interim president Monday. Rodriguez indicated she would cooperate with Washington.

“I have asked Energy Secretary Chris Wright to execute this plan, immediately. It will be taken by storage ships, and brought directly to unloading docks in the United States,” Trump concluded his post.

Before the arrest of Maduro, Venezuela’s oil sector was a shadow of its former self despite holding the world’s largest proven oil reserves — estimated at over 300 billion barrels.

Decades of socialist mismanagement, expropriation of foreign assets, and U.S. sanctions decimated output, which fell from over 3 million barrels per day in the early 2000s to roughly 1 million barrels per day by 2025.

Sanctions forced much of the crude trade underground and shifted exports mainly to China, with Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA) struggling to generate cash revenue. Production bottlenecks, lack of investment, and aging infrastructure kept Venezuela’s oil influence weak on global markets.

For additional insight about Venezuelan oil and what it means to America and the world, watch the selected videos below.

In other developments, Venezuelans are celebrating the capture and downfall of Maduro. Switzerland announced that it has frozen Maduro’s assets and will redistribute the funds to the people of Venezuela after the dictator’s trial.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? With Maduro on trial in America, are you confident that he will be found guilty on each and every charge against him? Do you think the announced high amount of barrels of Venezuelan oil will be a big economic boost for America? Do you think China, Russia and terrorist state Iran are panicking now that they lost their access to Venezuela’s oil? Do you think it is a matter of time before the military hardware of Russia, China and Iran in Venezuela will get dismantled?

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

Venezuela’s Dictator Maduro Captured By Trump’s America, Will Be Tried In Court

January 5, 2026January 7, 2026carlocarrasco

What happened this past weekend was very surprising, was executed very efficiently and the result is the fall and capture of Venezuela’s dictator Nicolas Maduro. This is the latest US military operation executed by President Donald Trump and his administration. Maduro is now in America and will be tried in court. The justice that the people of Venezuela have been dreaming of will eventually manifest. Trump also announced that America will run Venezuela until a transition of power can occur.

For the newcomers reading this, Maduro and his very wicked predecessor Hugo Chavez are collectively responsible for the downfall of Venezuela. Having ruled Venezuela for more than a decade, Maduro brutalized his fellow Venezuelans and is responsible with the intense deterioration of their national economy. Under Maduro, Venezuela cooperated with the terrorist state of Iran, Communist China and Putin’s Russia. Maduro is also involved in drug trafficking and narco-terrorism. Months ago, America started encountering vessels from Venezuela filled with illegal drugs. The dangerous gang Tren de Aragua was eliminated at sea.

To put things in perspective, watch the YouTube videos posted below and pay close attention to the details.

Already Venezuelans are cheerful and relieved with the fall of the dictator. It easily the most positive turn of events in their lives. Venezuelans are also thankful to President Trump. Watch and learn from the video below.

With Maduro and his wife in US custody, the effort for justice will begin soon. For insight, posted below is an excerpt from a Newsmax report. Some parts in boldface…

President Donald Trump said Saturday that U.S. forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife during a military operation, announcing they are being transported to the United States to face criminal prosecution in what he described as a decisive blow against international drug trafficking and regional instability.

Speaking at a Saturday afternoon press conference aired live on Newsmax and Newsmax2, Trump accused Maduro of overseeing a massive criminal enterprise responsible for drug trafficking, violence and instability affecting the United States.

“The illegitimate dictator, Maduro was the kingpin of a vast criminal network responsible for trafficking colossal amounts of deadly and illicit drugs into the United States, as alleged in the indictment, he personally oversaw the vicious cartel known as cartel de las Olas, which flooded our nation with lethal poison, responsible for the deaths of countless Americans, the many, many Americans, hundreds of thousands over the years of Americans died because of him,” Trump said.

Trump said Maduro and his wife were taken into custody during a U.S. operation in Venezuela and are currently being transported by ship.

“Maduro and his wife will soon face the full might of American justice and stand trial on American soil.”

In the same Newsmax report, Trump also mentioned that there is overwhelming evidence of Maduro’s crimes which will be presented in court.

Overseas, Israel commended America for the successful operation that led to Maduro’s capture. This is not surprising as Venezuela is allied with the terrorist regime of Iran and other Islamic terrorists. To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of The Jerusalem Post. Some parts in boldface…

Israel lauded the American operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday.

In a post on X/Twitter, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar wrote, “Israel commends the United States’ operation, led by President Trump, which acted as the leader of the free world. At this historic moment, Israel stands alongside the freedom-loving Venezuelan people, who have suffered under Maduro’s illegal tyranny.“

Sa’ar added that the Jewish state “welcomes the removal of the dictator who led a network of drugs and terror” and that it hopes democracy would return to Venezuela and that the two countries would be able to resume friendly relations.

“The people of Venezuela deserve to exercise their democratic rights. South America deserves a future free from the axis of terror and drugs,” Sa’ar concluded.

Netanyahu congratulates Trump on capture of Maduro – Later, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also congratulated US President Donald Trump.

“Congratulations, President [Donald Trump] for your bold and historic leadership on behalf of freedom and justice. I salute your decisive resolve and the brilliant action of your brave soldiers,” the Prime Minister’s Office quoted Netanyahu as saying in a post to X.

Israeli NGO of retired senior security officials see Venezuela op. as warning to Iran’s regime – Earlier, the Commanders for Israel’s Security, an NGO of more than 550 retired senior officials from the IDF, the Mossad, the Shin Bet, the police, and the Foreign Service, also welcomed the operation, seeing it as a warning to the Iranian regime, Israeli outlet Maariv reported.

Indeed, the capture of Maduro is a clear threat to the terrorist regime of Iran and is also a blow to the axis of evil we have today. Without Venezuela, China, Iran and Russia have suffered losses in terms of resources and global influence.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? What is your reaction to the American military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of dictator Maduro? Do you think it is only a matter of time before the remnants of Maduro’s administration will collapse and get overwhelmed by the Venezuelans who have long been hungry for freedom and the return of democracy? What do you think Iran, Russia and China will do now that their ally Maduro has fallen?

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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Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi To Meet With Trump In America

January 4, 2026January 3, 2026carlocarrasco

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will meet again with US President Donald Trump specifically in the United States in the spring, according to a Kyodo News article. The upcoming meeting will also by Takaichi’s first official visit to America as Prime Minister.

For the newcomers reading this, the Prime Minister first met with Trump in Japan last October. The said meeting happened not so long after Takaichi was elected to her position. For the upcoming meeting in the United States, the stakes are high for Prime Minister Takaichi as her nation has been dealing with tension from Communist China.

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

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Friday that she and U.S. President Donald Trump have agreed to work toward meeting in the United States in the spring, with the aim of further strengthening the alliance between the two countries.

Takaichi’s plan to make her first visit to the United States since taking office in October, confirmed during their phone call, comes at a time of strained relations between Japan and China, and ahead of Trump’s possible trip to Beijing in April to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“At the start of the new year, I consider it extremely significant that I was able to exchange words directly with President Trump and confirm the strong partnership of the Japan-U.S. alliance,” Takaichi told reporters following the call.

Takaichi said she and Trump agreed to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific as well as cooperation among like-minded countries, including in the three-way partnership also involving South Korea.

She said their discussion was mainly about the region, without elaborating as to whether it had anything to do with China specifically.

According to Japan’s Foreign Ministry, the conversation lasted about 25 minutes, during which Trump, who met with Takaichi in October in Tokyo, invited her to visit the United States.

In late December, Takaichi said she was exploring a visit to the United States for another meeting with Trump early in the upcoming year, with Japanese officials proposing late March for her trip to Washington.

Late on Friday night, Takaichi said she had conveyed her congratulations to Trump on the United States marking in 2026 the 250th anniversary of its independence.

She said they agreed this year should also be one that opens a “new chapter in the history of the Japan-U.S. alliance” and that they will further deepen the wide-ranging cooperation and friendly relations between the two countries.

If all goes smoothly, Takaichi’s upcoming trip will coincide with the U.S. capital’s well-known annual cherry blossom festival.

The festival commemorates the 1912 gift of cherry trees from Tokyo to Washington and the longtime friendship between Japan and the United States.

When Takaichi hosted Trump in Japan in late October, the two leaders affirmed their intention to jointly celebrate the 250th anniversary, and she confirmed Japan’s promise to give 250 cherry trees to the United States.

Takaichi and Trump last spoke by phone on Nov. 25, with the conversation taking place after his call with Xi and amid escalating tensions between Tokyo and Beijing over Taiwan.

China has been taking a hard-line stance against Japan since Takaichi suggested earlier that month that an attack on Taiwan could constitute an existential threat to Japan and warrant a response from its forces.

Trump, who also met with Xi in late October during his trip to Asia, has not made his position public on the ongoing tensions between Japan and China, which views Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out the use of force to bring the self-ruled island under its control.

Trump has repeatedly said he has good relationships with both Takaichi and Xi.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? What kind of developments do you think will manifest after the next meeting of Trump and Takaichi? Do you think the Trump administration will be able to maintain healthy ties with China and Japan even as the tension between the two Asian nations goes on? Do you think there will be more joint military exercises between Japan and America this 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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Japan Sets Fiscal 2026 Defense Budget At Record 9 Trillion Yen

January 3, 2026December 26, 2025carlocarrasco

In light of the aggression of Communist China in the Pacific and security challenges coming from North Korea, the government of Japan set its draft defense budget for fiscal 2026 at a record figure of 9 trillion yen (estimated at $58 billion), according to a news article published by Kyodo News.

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

Japan’s draft defense budget was set at a record 9.04 trillion yen ($58 billion) for fiscal 2026, the government said Friday, as the country faces increasing security challenges from China and North Korea.

The figure, including outlays linked to hosting U.S. military bases, eclipses the then record 8.7 trillion yen in the initial budget for the current fiscal year to March 2026. Fiscal 2026 marks the fourth year of Japan’s five-year 43-trillion-yen defense buildup plan.

The Cabinet of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi approved the same day a draft initial state budget for the year starting next April worth 122.3 trillion yen, also a record high, including defense and other expenditures.

Under the defense budget, 100.1 billion yen has been earmarked for building the “Shield” layered coastal defense system, which requires numerous aerial, surface and underwater vehicles. The spending on Shield comes at a time when many countries have been rapidly developing drone technology since the Russia-Ukraine war changed the nature of warfare.

With China in mind, 1.1 billion yen has been set aside to assess the use of long-endurance drones as a measure against airspace violations.

Japan plans to rebrand the Air Self-Defense Force as the Air and Space Self-Defense Force to enhance the country’s space capabilities.

Another 1.1 billion yen has been earmarked for acquiring equipment to monitor satellite interference.

The country has secured 30.1 billion yen to procure hypersonic guided missiles, which travel at above five times the speed of sound and are considered hard to intercept, as a means of counterattack.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the record defense budget of 9 trillion yen is sufficient to keep Japan secured from the threats of China and North Korea?

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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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 38

January 2, 2026January 1, 2026carlocarrasco

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 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. Starflight Sega Genesis Print Ad

*Sometimes the very detailed artwork made gamers imagine Starflight as a sci-fi movie waiting to happen.*

By the time it was released on the Sega Genesis in 1991, Starflight was already popular as it was released on varied computer systems and entertained a lot of gamers several years prior. To promote the Sega Genesis version, a 2-page print ad of Starflight was made with a grand-looking artwork of space, spaceships and planets dominating the space. The ad makers managed to utilize the remaining space below the artwork to show selected images, the descriptive text and the game’s box cover to make it clear to gamers that Starflight on Genesis is real and made to be playable. The artwork itself remains a powerful grabber of attention even to this day.

2. Defender Japanese Arcade Flyer

Defender is one of my favorites among the many games of Midway. In recent times, I’ve been playing the arcade version of Defender on my Xbox Series X using the Midway Arcade Origins digital copy I purchased online. As Defender became a massive hit in America, it was released in Japanese arcades with Taito handling the distribution. The arcade flyer Taito came up with used hand-drawn art for the background on the front along with pictures of the arcade cabinet and the arcade cocktail table versions of the game. While the rear of the flyer looks very simplistic, the front remains attractive to look at.

3. Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse Print Ad

*Some people found the artwork looking creepy or even terrifying.*

By the year 1990, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was present in several millions of households all over America and there were lots of great games available. Among the NES gamers were fans of the Castlevania game series and Konami went on to release Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse in America. As part of the company’s aggressive promotion, a single-page ad featuring a detailed looking artwork of a gamer getting immersed with the game’s fantasy elements (look at the creepy looking characters, monsters and the game’s hero present) was done. While the artwork was a strong attention grabber, what stood out was the sweepstakes form for gamers to cut out, fill it with their information and mail it for the chance to win a trip to the hometown of Dracula. Do you personally know anyone who won in the sweepstakes?

4. Double Dragon Games Print Ad

*Print ad made with Double Dragon fans in mind.*

When it comes to the console and handheld presence of the Double Dragon games franchise, it was on Nintendo hardware – specifically the NES and the Game Boy – where gamers and the fans could find them. Acclaim Entertainment knew how popular Double Dragon games were with Nintendo gamers and they aggressively marketed Double Dragon III: The Sacred Stones and Double Dragon II with a single-page print ad that had great looking painted artwork. Very clearly, this early 1990s ad was made to connect strongly with Double Dragon fans and its presentation still looks very solid even with today’s standards.

5. Konami 3-in-1 Game Boy Games Print Ad

*The excitement of sports is clearly shown in this old ad.*

From the mid-1980s to the early 1990s, Konami published a lot of games on Nintendo’s wildly popular platform the NES and among them were classics like Contra, Castlevania and Metal Gear. Konami’s support also made it to Nintendo’s Game Boy handheld device (first released in 1989) which itself sold strongly and became the leading platform for portable gaming. As such, Konami made a 2-page print ad promoting NFL Football, Blades of Steel and Double Dribble: 5 on 5 for Game Boy. Cleverly, the ad makers used fancy artworks on the left (reflecting the different sports) side while using the space on the right side for descriptive text, screenshots and game box covers. This fine looking ad has a strong appeal towards Game Boy users and sports enthusiasts.

6. Tengen 6-in-1 Print Ad

*This old print ad is a delight for those who owned a Sega Genesis.*

Back in the 1980s, Atari formed the company Tengen to not only develop games but also publish game for computers and game consoles. During that decade, Tengen published games on the NES but they had trouble working within the strict licensing terms of Nintendo. The two companies would later get into court battles over a series of events within the gaming business. Eventually, Tengen started doing business with Sega and published games on the Genesis console. As part of their aggressive publishing of games on Sega’s console, Tengen came up with this 2-page print ad promoting six different games emphasizing that the fun arcade experiences are coming to gamers’ homes.

7. Dig Dug Print Ad

*Are you aware of the business relationship and trust between Atari and Namco?*

When Atari opened its branch in Japan – called Atari Japan – in the 1970s, they established a partnership with Namco to distribute arcade games there. As they experienced trouble penetrating the Japanese market, Atari eventually sold Atari Japan to Namco which paved the way for their Japanese partner to get into video games. Just a few years later, Namco developed its own original arcade game Dig Dug which became a massive hit in Japan. As a licensing deal was already in effect, Atari distributed Dig Dug in American arcades which the above magazine print ad clearly shows.

8. Sega Genesis Over SNES Print Ad

*Sega directly attacked Nintendo by emphasizing the larger quantity of games and* *varied game experiences that can only be found on the Genesis back then.*

By the time Nintendo released the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in 1991, the Sega Genesis console has been in the video game market for a few years already. In America, Tom Kalinske led Sega and his approach to marketing and resonating with gamers was essentially aggressive. The aggressive approach includes naming their competition and showing why Sega is superior. Given the lead time they had on the North American market, Sega came up with this print ad showing their Genesis consoles having a lot more games than the SNES. Competitive console gaming was very different back then.

9. Atari Jaguar Print Ad

*Did you spend $159.99 on an Atari Jaguar console back in the 1990s?*

In the 1990s, Atari attempted a comeback in console gaming with the Atari Jaguar console. Early on, their marketing emphasized the so-called 64-bit capabilities of the Jaguar to convince gamers theirs is the most powerful console on the market. Sadly, the console failed to achieve strong sales and a huge price cut was executed. To attract customers, Atari came up with this 2-page print ad to inform them of the cheaper $159.99 price while reminding them of the “most mind-blowing, head-exploding games” they can have with the Jaguar. Obviously this ad campaign failed as the Atari Jaguar never achieved commercial success.

10. Side Pocket Print Ad

*The Side Pocket print ad with a subtle touch of sexiness.*

After its original release in the arcades in 1986, Side Pocket was ported by Data East to many consoles and handheld devices in the 1990s. When it comes to promoting the Sega Genesis version, Data East came up with this print ad showing a lady in a sexy dress in the background (head hidden) which instantly created a sexy aesthetic. The large text displayed emphasized the game of billiards supported by the screenshots shown. The screenshot at the upper-left corner shows artwork of a pretty lady smiling at the viewer which added to the sexy aesthetic of the ad.

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2026

January 1, 2026January 1, 2026carlocarrasco

Happy New Year to everyone! 2026 is finally here!

In 2025, so much has happened here in my native Philippines and around the world. Here in the Philippines, there is this growing economic uncertainty in relation to the flood control corruption scandals which angered many Filipinos and made foreign investors doubtful about the state of the nation. The most recent quarterly gross domestic product (GDP) report showed a clear slowdown while the Philippines has fallen behind its Southeast Asian neighbors when it comes to attracting foreign tourists.

Overseas, US President Donald Trump made his presence felt a lot. In 2025 alone, his administration prevented new wars from happening, helped Israel defeat Iran during the 12-Day War, helped end the war in Gaza and saw the release of surviving hostages who went home to Israel, and America struck Islamic terrorists hard in Syria and Nigeria. Along the way, America grew stronger economically in 2025 and that was backed by high tariff revenues. Now on his 2^nd term, Trump keeps on proving he is a President of action with expertise on making deals. His movement of Make America Great Again (MAGA) continues to make waves with the American people and even with those in other parts of the world. We are clearly living in the age of Trump and there are still a few years left in his 2^nd term.

Over in Japan, the new Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae and her administration are implementing reforms to protect the Japanese, reviving their national economy and securing the nation not only from Communist China but also from the international mob of illegal immigration, human traffickers, Islamists and arrogant globalists.

With regards to what was achieved with my website and blog www.CarloCarrasco.com, I am thankful to our Lord and also delighted to share with you the numbers for the year 2025. About 113,000 hits (page views) worldwide were counted with roughly 80,000 visitors worldwide recorded, plus almost 1,000 likes worldwide counted within the WordPress network.

The top nations of hits and visitors for 2025 are the Philippines, the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Hong Kong and Sweden. With regards to lifetime hits of my website and blog, it is roughly 1,130,000 hits worldwide since January 4, 2019. The page views and number of visitors of 2025 are huge improvements over the 2024 blog numbers. I thank you readers for visiting my website and reading my blog posts.

When it comes to social media, I am thankful to the Lord for the surge of new members in my South Metro Manila Facebook group. From the 3rd week of October until December 31 of 2025, the FB group’s members jumped from a little over 6,000 to over 9,200! That’s a surge of more than fifty percent in less than a quarter’s time. In relation to what South Metro Manila is about geographically, members based in the southern Metro Manila cities of Parañaque, Las Piñas and Muntinlupa combined for more than 3,800 members. A great majority of the FB group’s overall membership are based in the Philippines. Many times, I shared my blog posts in the South Metro Manila Facebook group and I encourage you to visit it by clicking https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673.

There will be no slowdown with blogging about local community developments, magnifying the news that mattered, making special features, preaching the Word of God, publishing entertainment stuff and more in 2026. That said, I thank the businesses, the community organizations, the local authorities, the local churches, the YouTubers, and others who trusted me and my long-term online publishing. My thanks to the Lord God for these growing achievements and the lively connections.

I also thank the Lord that I am now a businessman and a certified professional. I now have my own enterprise and achieving growth and establishing new connections are my goals now. I can make contributions to the Philippine economy.

For 2026, I encourage you all to live on with uncompromising faith in Lord Jesus and in the Word of God. The world we live in is twisted and worldliness will only lead you to evil.

That being said, I prepared the following scriptures from the Holy Bible for your enlightenment below…

Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all.

Acts 10:34-36 (NKJV)

Jesus answered and said to him,

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

John 3:3 (NKJV)

Lord Jesus is the Savior and the Hope of ALL nations! There is no doubt about that. As for the people living with evil reading this, I encourage you to come to Lord Jesus for repentance and submission so that the evil within your heart will go away. The many forms of evil in this world – Islamist beliefs, Communism, socialism, Marxism, antisemitism, idolatry, LGBTQ ideology, secularism, rabid feminism and much more – have led many away from the Lord. Still, there is time for the people consumed by evil to change themselves for the better by turning away from darkness and surrendering to Lord Jesus.

Follow the lead of the Holy Spirit and spread the Word of God to others so that the lost and the unsaved around you will stop being wicked and realize Lord Jesus is the Savior of all! Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!

Once again, Happy New Year!

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Trump’s America Hits Islamic Terrorists In Nigeria

December 27, 2025December 26, 2025carlocarrasco

When US President Donald Trump declared Islamic terrorists in Nigeria a target, his administration backed it up with real action as America struck the evil ones in the African nation in coordination with the government there, according to a news report by The Jerusalem Post. Specifically, the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) executed Trump’s order.

For the newcomers reading this, Islamic terrorists have been killing Christians there in Nigeria for a long time already. This newest development proves that Trump’s America really means business when it comes to fighting the terrorists.

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

The US Africa Command (AFRICOM) launched a strike against Islamic State terrorists in Nigeria, US President Donald Trump announced on social media early on Friday.

AFRICOM stated that the strike in Sokoto was carried out “in coordination with Nigerian authorities” and killed multiple terrorists.

The strike was ordered due to “the persistent threat of terrorism and violent extremism,” the Nigerian Foreign Ministry confirmed in a statement.

“The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing,” Trump said, adding that he wishes a “MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues.“

The Defense Department additionally published declassified footage of at least one projectile launched from a warship.

Following the strike, the Nigerian Foreign Ministry stated that they would continue to work with the US and international partners to “weaken terrorist networks, disrupt their financing and logistics, and prevent cross-border threats.”

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, in a Christmas statement released on Wednesday, affirmed that he is “committed to doing everything within [his] power to enshrine religious freedom in Nigeria and to protect Christians, Muslims, and all Nigerians from violence.”

“No one, regardless of ethnicity or belief, should be made to suffer for professing or practicing his faith,” Tinubu added.

Islamic State terrorists carry out several mass kidnappings, church attacks in Nigeria –Islamic State attacks on Christian Nigerians, including mass kidnappings and attacks on churches, have risen in recent months.

On December 17, an attack on a church in Kogi, Nigeria, resulted in at least 13 worshippers being abducted by gunmen, according to state officials.

On November 21, over 300 schoolchildren were abducted from a Catholic school by terrorists, according to Tinubu’s spokesperson.

As of Monday, all of the children had been released, with 130 of them having been held in captivity for nearly a month.

In early November, Nigeria said it was open to US help in combating the rise of violent Islamic State terrorism.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Are you glad that the Trump administration struck the many Islamic terrorists in Nigeria quickly and decisively? Do you think this new development will enable the Nigerian government to effectively fight the Islamic terrorists in their country?

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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Better than Streaming: Do You Have Oppenheimer 4K Blu-ray In Your Collection?

December 26, 2025December 22, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs!

Similar with Godzilla Minus One, it took more than two years to watch Oppenheimer, and I finally did it on 4K Blu-ray. I recently acquired Oppenheimer 4K Blu-ray through Amazon for less than $20.

*Oppenheimer 4K Blu-ray set came with 3 discs. The standard Blu-ray disc of the movie is underneath the 4K Blu-ray disc on the left.*

My personal history with Oppenheimer goes like this. In 2023, the movie was released in lots of cinemas all over the Philippines and there was strong pre-release hype for it. Having seen several movies of director Christopher Nolan, I was interested to watch the acclaimed movie in the cinema. However, something in the back of my mind told me not to pursue it on the big screen.

As time passed, I met with a few friends who claimed to have seen the movie. I told them I have not seen Oppenheimer yet, so that prevented them from revealing spoilers. One of them told me that it is crucial to find the right time and the right mindset to watch Oppenheimer as it heavily tackled not only the history behind J. Robert Oppenheimer and his work on the Manhattan Project (the atomic bomb) but also the thick web of politics and intrigue.

So I took my friend’s advice. When my 4K Blu-ray copy of Oppenheimer arrived, I did not watch it immediately. Eventually, I found the right time to view it on a not-so-busy Saturday night. I had the TV room, the movie and my Xbox Series X (our default 4K Blu-ray player) all to myself.

To be clear to you all, this is NOT a review of the movie. What I can say is that Oppenheimer is indeed a very astonishing movie made with great production values, rock solid performances and intense direction by Nolan. Cillian Murphy is great as the physicist Oppenheimer and the supporting players have such performers like Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Jason Clarke (still great as an antagonist), and Kenneth Branagh (excellent as a mentor) who all delivered fine dramatic performances.

Oppenheimer is not an easy movie to watch and enjoy as it requires you to have enough knowledge about the physicist, the Manhattan Project, World War II and the political climate of the time. My friend is absolutely right that you have to see it with the right time and right mindset because the movie is very heavy with historical and political details. Not only that, the film is very talky – lots and lots of dialogue scenes – and you really have to exert effort to pay attention to all the details. As an information overload-type of film, Oppenheimer can be more challenging to watch than Shin Godzilla.

I had a very engaging viewing experience with Oppenheimer, and the native 4K visuals are great to see! Very clearly, Christopher Nolan and his team ensured the best possible 4K imagery for us viewers and movie collectors to enjoy, and like the past Blu-ray or 4K Blu-ray releases of his other movies, the screen aspect ratio adjusts between the IMAX-filmed scenes and the non-IMAX shots. Being a modern production, I can say that Oppenheimer’s 4K Blu-ray visual quality is as phenomenal as that of Top Gun: Maverick 4K Blu-ray. I am not exaggerating!

With great visuals and a lot of extra stuff packed in, Oppenheimer 4K Blu-ray should be in your list of movies to get on 4K Blu-ray format if you have not acquired it yet. At less than $20 as of this writing, you will get great entertainment value in return.

If you have decided already to order a copy of Oppenheimer 4K Blu-ray, click here. For technical details of the 4K Blu-ray release, click here.

If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema, cinematic trends, Blu-ray releases and more relevant stuff, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576

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Philippines Attracted Only 5.235 Million International Tourist Arrivals In January-November 2025 Period

December 23, 2025December 17, 2025carlocarrasco

Even though there already is a foreign tourism boom in Southeast Asia, the Philippines has literally been left behind by its neighbors as it attracted only 5.235 million international tourist arrivals for the period of January to November 2025, according to a news report by BusinessWorld.

For the newcomers reading this, the Philippines has been struggling throughout the year when it comes to attracting foreign visitors. In 2024, the Philippines attracted 5,949,350 foreign visitors which is way off the declared target of 7,700,000. A real estate advisory firm pointed to domestic travel as the key for the recovery of the nation’s tourism industry. Read my previous blog post by clicking here.

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

VISITOR ARRIVALS in the Philippines fell by 2.16% in the first 11 months, amid a decline in tourists from South Korea and China, Tourism department data showed.

Data from the Department of Tourism (DoT) showed international tourist arrivals dropped to 5.235 million in the January-to-November period from 5.35 million in the same period in 2024.

Of the tourist arrivals, the bulk or 4.918 million were foreign tourists, while the rest were overseas Filipinos.

South Korea remained the biggest source of tourists in the first 11 months, accounting for 21.66% of the total. While 1.134 million South Koreans visited the Philippines as of November, this was a 21% decline from the 1.436 million Korean tourists a year ago.

The US was the second-biggest source of tourists, at 894,835 or 17.09% of the total as of end-November. This was 6.57% higher than last year’s 839,635 tourist arrivals from the US.

Japan was the third-biggest source of tourists, accounting for 406,794 or 7.77% of the total, 15.36% up from 352,630 a year ago.

Tourist arrivals from Australia increased by 16.17% to 268,892 in the 11-month period. Meanwhile, tourists from China fell by 16.55% to 248,339 as of end-November.

The other top markets were Canada, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Malaysia, which cumulatively accounted for 793,750 of the total arrivals.

“The weaker South Korean won amid a volatile political and economic situation over the past year and slower economic growth in China, which is the world’s second-biggest economy, on top of territorial disputes partly weighed on foreign tourism numbers,” Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a Viber message.

Mr. Ricafort noted that the government should improve infrastructure to make it more convenient for tourists to travel around the country.

“Challenges include the need to further expand and develop tourism-related infrastructure such as airports, seaports, accommodation facilities, and train systems, including the Metro Manila subway and toll roads,” he added.

Despite the decline in the first 11 months, Mr. Ricafort said that it is still possible for the country to surpass the tourist arrivals last year, which reached 5.949 million.

“It is still possible, considering some seasonal increase in foreign tourists during the Christmas holiday season, especially overseas Filipino workers and balikbayans, to spend the most festive time of the year, while others escape winter,” he said.

“A higher US dollar-peso exchange rate would make it cheaper for foreign tourists to come to the Philippines,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mr. Ricafort noted the growth in tourist arrivals from India and other countries, which helped “offset the decline in major traditional sources such as South Korea and China.”

India was the 11th biggest source of tourist arrivals in the January-to-November period, accounting for 85,885 or 1.64% of the total. Tourists from India increased by 17.06% from 73,369 arrivals in the same period in the previous year.

Earlier this year, the Philippines and India signed the Implementation Program on Tourism Cooperation for the years 2025 to 2028.

For his part, Colliers Research Director Joey Roi H. Bondoc said that with only 5.235 million as of end-November, it will be difficult for the country to even surpass last year’s arrivals.

“I think it will be very difficult… We may not be able to beat that or even meet that, but of course we want to end the year stronger,” he said in a phone interview.

“We see a lot of foreign tourists still in December because of the holiday season. Definitely that optimism should spill over to next year,” he added.

As for the drop in arrivals from South Korea, Mr. Bondoc attributed this to the economic downturn and political crisis in the country.

“If you look at some integrated casinos, they were initially targeting Koreans… so they are experiencing the pinch of slower arrivals from South Korea,” he said.

Mr. Bondoc said the Philippines should try to attract tourists from other markets.

For further insight about the tourism industry problem of the Philippines, watch the CNA Insider video below.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Did you think the Philippines can still beat its 2024 record of international visitor arrivals and generate huge revenues for the economy? Do you think the current administration will be able to improve the nation’s infrastructure and make travel more efficient and convenient for all tourists? Do you think the Philippines is too expensive when it comes to air travel?

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 Eyes Expansion In The Philippines As Demand For Food Intensifies

December 20, 2025December 19, 2025carlocarrasco

Following its aggressive move to export more fresh fruits to the Philippines, the United States under President Donald Trump will ramp up its agricultural exports to the country in connection with strong Filipino demand for food, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

For the newcomers reading this, not even the softened economic growth of the Philippines dampened the Filipinos’ rising demand for food and the young population is a factor behind it. America sees opportunities to export more meat, seafood and other agricultural products to the Philippines.

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

The United States (US) is gearing up to increase its agricultural exports to the Philippines, banking on the country’s growing food demand and potential economic growth.

In a Dec. 17 report, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said the country was the ninth-largest market for US exporters last year, with agricultural goods valued at $3.5 billion.

The foreign agency expects continued growth in the years to come, especially given the country’s fast-growing economy, which ranked third among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries last year.

While it noted that the Philippine economy “continues to face risks from geopolitical tensions and trade policy uncertainties,” the USDA said it will likely remain resilient in the coming year.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) earlier lowered its forecast of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth from 5.4 percent to 5.1 percent this year, before rebounding to 5.6 percent in 2026.

The USDA also cited the easing of inflation and income inequality, driven by a growing population, as fueling demand for more agricultural commodities.

“With its rapid population growth, the Philippines has a young population that increasingly demands imported agricultural products,” it said.

According to the USDA, these market dynamics provide opportunities for US agricultural product exporters to broaden their presence in the country.

The report said products that have the “greatest potential for expansion” include dairy, poultry, ethanol (non-beverage), pork, beef, processed potatoes, confectionery and snack foods, and seafood.

Last year, the US was the top single-country supplier to the Philippines, with a market share of 18 percent, behind ASEAN at 31 percent.

The USDA noted that despite this strong performance, US exporters remain at a disadvantage relative to other exporters due to logistical and tariff challenges.

In this case, members of ASEAN benefit from lower tariffs and cheaper shipping costs, whereas the US is subject to slightly higher taxes under the most-favored nation tariff rates.

On top of this, the USDA said exporters also face higher costs due to government policies such as the sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance (SPSIC)—a document required before shipment of any agricultural product to the Philippines.

“SPSICs are valid for 20 to 90 days, depending on the commodity. The limited validity period adds costs and complicates the timing of exports, among other factors,” the report read.

In this view, the USDA emphasized the need for exporters to keep up to date with market trends to maintain the competitiveness of American products in the local market.

For instance, it noted that young Filipinos are more open to new flavors and experiences, which suppliers could consider when promoting their products.

For the full report of the US Department of Agriculture related to the news story, click here.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Are you looking forward to more American agricultural products plus seafood in the local markets? Do you think exporters of America are on the verge of becoming more competitive globally over the next 24 months?

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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