Elbit Systems, the international military technology company and defense contractor based in Israel, recently announced its successful acquisition of the Canadian advanced autonomous underwater firm Submarine Engineering Ltd. (ISE), according to a news report by The Jerusalem Post. This breakthrough strengthens Elbit Systems’ underwater surveillance, mine countermeasures and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from The Jerusalem Post report. Some parts in boldface.
Israeli defense manufacturer Elbit Systems Ltd. completed the acquisition of Canada-based advanced autonomous underwater company International Submarine Engineering Ltd. (ISE), the company announced on Tuesday.
Elbit said the “acquisition was completed for a purchase price that is not material,” which means it was not a notable amount of money.
ISE specializes in advanced autonomous underwater and remotely operated systems for the maritime domain, which Elbit described as a “high-technology company engaged in the development and manufacture of undersea vehicles, including Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), as well as computer control systems and robotics.”
“Elbit Systems delivers proven naval capabilities supporting missions ranging from coastal security to blue-water operations,” the company said.
Acquisition of Canadian naval drone company boosts Elbit’s underwater capabilities– “The addition of ISE’s underwater autonomous technologies is intended to expand Elbit Systems’ capabilities in underwater Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), Mine Counter-Measures (MCM) and Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), further strengthening the company’s end-to-end maritime offering,” Elbit added.
“With more than 50 years of experience in subsea robotics, ISE has delivered over 250 underwater vehicles to customers in more than 20 countries worldwide,” Elbit said.
The Israeli defense giant’s naval portfolio includes “unmanned surface vessels, underwater systems, integrated command-and-control (C2) suites, electro-optical and sonar systems, communications, and electronic warfare technologies.”
“This acquisition marks another milestone in Elbit Systems’ strategy to expand its offerings in the naval domain. Combined with our existing capabilities in naval electronic warfare, autonomous systems, naval precision munitions and maritime mission systems, ISE’s underwater technologies will further strengthen our position as a global provider of comprehensive, integrated maritime solutions,” said President and CEO of Elbit Systems, Bezhalel “Butzi” Machlis.
To all my readers, I encourage you to thank the Lord for this tremendous breakthrough. Elbit Systems’ acquisition of International Submarine Engineering is very crucial for a variety of reasons.
At the same time, I encourage you all to realize the truth that Israel is the land God designated specifically for the Jewish people (read Genesis 35:10-12) and His command must be followed without hesitation. If you want to be blessed further by the Lord, do so by loving and blessing the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3). I did my part when I was in Israel. Also, let me remind you all that the ties between the Jews and Christians are truly biblical!
I encourage you all to pray to the Lord God in support of Israel, to love and bless the Jewish people, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!
In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads from the 1980s to the 1990s.
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s to the 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.
With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…
1. Atari Console and Games Print Ad
Back in the 1980s, this was simple and yet exciting to look at.
Back in the 1980s, the styles of video game advertising were very different. Back then, Atari was the market leader on console gaming with the Atari 2600 and they had a lot of video games made for it. As such, the above print ad showing the console and the video games (with the front covers of the game boxes) was typical of the era and it was captivating to look at. By today’s standards, the ad looks simple but it still has the appeal to lure gamers.
2. Shark Attack North American Arcade Flyer
The front.
The rear.
Remember long ago when Steven Spielberg’s Jaws made some people afraid of sharks and the sea? Jaws was a massive blockbuster, and it was influential to the public. A few years later, Universal Pictures pushed through with Jaws 2 without Spielberg, and it also was a huge commercial hit. By the start of the 1980s, creature feature films inspired by Jaws were released and pop culture itself was influenced. In 1981, the obscure arcade outfit Pacific Novelty Manufacturing released their game Shark Attack in arcades. To promote the game, the company came up with an arcade flyer that had a comedic touch on the text descriptions while featuring a pretty blonde fashion model posing as the diver. The front of the flyer had the arcade cabinet, the model and an exaggerated artwork of a shark holding a knife and a fork. On the rear, the sexiness was ramped up with a shot of the model’s behind (plus more pictures of the model herself). This is indeed an amusing and funny arcade flyer.
3. Centipede North American Arcade Flyer
This was designed with arcade operators in mind.
When Atari released Centipede in arcades in 1981, it attracted a lot of gamers and became a huge commercial hit. Part of its success is linked with the strategic promotions Atari committed, and the above arcade flyer is one of the variants of Centipede flyers. The one above shows an illustrated centipede carrying a coin in its mouth and in the background are two different arcade cabinets plus a cocktail table machine (for those who want to play Centipede while sitting down). This particular arcade flyer of Centipede emphasizes the popularity of the game and there are different types of machines that arcade operators can choose from. At the same time, this old flyer remains amusing to look at.
4. Rambo Famicom Japanese Print Ad
Using this iconic imagery of Sylvester Stallone as Rambo was a very smart move.
When it comes to Hollywood action movies of the 1980s, Sylvester Stallone was highly successful, and he impacted American pop culture with the Rocky and Rambo films. By 1985, Stallone struck gold with Rambo: First Blood Part II which made over $300 million worldwide. Considering the Cold War theme and ambitious action scenes of the movie, it was clear for Japanese game developer Pack-In-Video to make an official video game adaptation of Rambo: First Blood Part II for the Nintendo Family Computer (Famicom) in the form of a 2D side-scrolling adventure game. The said game was simply titled Rambo and to promote it, the company came up with the above Japanese print ad that had the iconic Rambo image of Stallone holding the rocket launcher, and a few screenshots of the game itself. If you look closely at the lower-right corner, you will see a cartoonish hand-drawn art of the Rambo character with a bow and arrow. Considering how very popular Stallone, his character and the movie were, it made a lot of sense to promote the Rambo Famicom game like this in Japan.
5. Gyruss Family Computer Disk System Japanese Print Ad
Gyruss was Konami’s first-ever game developed for the Famicom Disk System of Nintendo.
In 1983, Konami released Gyruss, a science fiction tube shooter designed by Yoshiko Okamoto. The game was a huge arcade hit and it really attracted a lot of players who enjoyed the unique game design and spaceship shooting. Konami licensed the game to a few companies which resulted in the creation and release of Gyruss ports for different consoles and home computer systems. In 1988, Konami released an enhanced Gyruss port for the Family Computer Disk System of Nintendo. To promote the Famicom Disk System port, Konami came up with a print ad that had a nicely detailed painted artwork of a spaceship (representing the player) about to hit incoming enemies deep in space, 3 screenshots and the official price and release date displayed. The artwork is still captivating to look at and the port itself features major overhauls that arguably made it better than the arcade original. Konami really went the extra mile for this Gyruss port.
6. Operation Thunderbolt Japanese Arcade Flyer
Great looking artwork on the front.
The rear.
Following the huge success of Operation Wolf, Taito went on to make the sequel military shooter Operation Thunderbolt which was named after the 1977 movie that itself was based on the real-life Entebbe raid of 1976. To promote the game, the company came up with a pretty compelling arcade flyer for the Japanese market. The front has a detailed painted artwork that emphasizes the conflict between soldiers and Islamic terrorists in the Middle East. The rear has technical details of the arcade cabinet, several phone numbers and hand-drawn art of the terrorists (they easily remind me of Palestinian terrorists) clearly called the enemies. While the listing of phone numbers on the rear was very unusual, this old arcade flyer still looks great. Operation Thunderbolt went on to achieve huge commercial success in the arcades and later on consoles. It was one of the highest grossing arcade games in Japan in 1989.
7. Batman Returns North American Print Ad
Sega’s clever print ad promoting the Sega CD game of Batman Returns.
Batman Returns was a big hit in cinemas in 1992 although it never came close to matching the success of its 1989 predecessor. When it comes to video games, Batman Returns was even more ambitious as there were different game adaptations on different platforms. For the Sega CD Batman Returns game, Sega came up with the above ad that strongly featured photos of Michael Keaton as Batman, Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman and Danny DeVito as the Penguin with a stylish dark background and four screenshots of the game. The line “Batman Returns…on Sega CD” was really catchy and ultimately the game itself was very notably an expanded version of the Sega Genesis version with selected video footage from the film. As Sega had the license to make Batman Returns games for its platforms, this print ad is absolutely an attention-grabber.
8. Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi North American Print Ad
The Force is with the handheld gamers.
If there is anything notable about Star Wars in the 1990s, it is the fact that there is a lot of merchandise, comic books, video games, books and other licensed products released long after 1983’s Return of the Jedi which itself was perceived to be the last of the film franchise. In the mid-1990s, ports of Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi were released on the competing handheld platforms Nintendo Game Boy and Sega Game Gear. This particular single-page ad has a nice visual design that captured the vibe of the movie (which I saw as a young boy in 1983) and it made handheld gaming look cool.
9. Elevator Action Returns Japanese Print Ad
Did you play Elevator Action Returns on the Sega Saturn?
In 1994, Taito struck gold with the release of Elevator Action Returns in Japanese arcades. The sequel was a big hit for the company and they eventually released a console port on the Sega Saturn only in Japan. For promotion, a print ad was made using the official painted artwork while also showing the screenshots and other details about it running on the Saturn (which itself was a powerful 2D sprite machine). Just looking at this old ad brings back the excitement of Elevator Action Returns and I now have a digital copy of it on my Xbox Series X.
10. Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu North American Print Ad
A very ambitious print ad promoting Jade Cocoon in North America.
By the late 1990s, Japanese role-playing games (JRPG) really became popular on gaming consoles in America which arguably was the result of the massive global success of Final Fantasy VII. In 1999, there were a lot of JRPGs that got released on PlayStation and publisher Crave Entertainment literally pounced on American gamers’ interest on JRPGs by releasing Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu. Crave aggressively promoted the game and the result was this 2-page print ad that emphasized the game concept (developed by Genki), showed screenshots of the game, and displayed artworks that fans of Studio Ghibli anime productions can recognize. While Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu never became a massive commercial hit because of the low print run, there is no denying that its print ad was one of the most visually appealing ads of 1999. The ad alone made it look very ambitious.
11. Konami LaserScope North American print ad
Did you get excited after seeing this Konami LaserScope print ad? Do you know anyone who bought the peripheral?
In 1990, this print ad of Konami’s LaserScope appeared in comic books and several other publications. The LaserScope was a gaming peripheral designed for use on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) complete with compatibility with existing games that were made to support the NES Zapper. The ad even boasted a voice-activated firing feature and a hands-free approach on playing NES games. While the ad boasted that players will have the most powerful voice in video games, the LaserScope itself was a very flawed and badly optimized device. Apart from having a built-in microphone that was oversensitive, tracking targets was a chore requiring constant head-turning which in turn made the gameplay experience very tiring and frustrating. This old ad promised a lot and the LaserScope was a catastrophe. When was the last time you bought hardware from Konami?
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 Reaction Videos of The Transformers: The Movie – I can hardly believe it has been forty years since The Transformers: The Movie was first released. Following its disappointing theatrical run, the animated feature film became highly pursued by Transformers fans as soon as it was released on home video, and me and my friends enjoyed it a lot. It’s theatrical disappointment never stopped it from becoming a classic for Transformers fans and its importance in pop culture has been established solidly. By today’s standards, The Transformers: The Movie is a showcase of not only high-quality animation and a great lineup of characters, it also has the fine vocal performances of entertainment legends Orson Welles, Peter Cullen (who died recently), Leonard Nimoy, Scatman Crothers, Robert Stack, and Frank Welker. That said, it is not surprising that the 1986 animated film is featured in many movie reaction videos and I found the most entertaining ones for you to enjoy.
#2 Summer Bargains in Japan – Are there a lot of bargains offered by your local grocery or department stores during the summer season? In Japan, as captured by Nippon TV, a grocery store organized “all-you-can-stuff” events that offered customers the golden opportunities to accumulate as many fresh vegetables (sourced from the summer produce of local farms) as they can for a fixed rate per attempt. Watching this Nippon TV video is entertaining and informative. I encourage you all to watch it from start to finish.
#3 1978 Interview Clip of Ingrid Bergman – If you have seen the classic movie Casablanca, you would remember the radiant beauty of Ingrid Bergman and her on-screen romance with Humphrey Bogart’s character. A few years before she passed away, Bergman was interviewed on TV and I posted below a short video excerpt for you to see. Not only will you learn from Bergman a notable revelation about her co-star’s presence behind the scenes of Casablanca’s production, you will see how intellectual and insightful she was. Go watch the video below.
#4 The Indiana Jones Game Konami Was Never Allowed to Make – Time for retro gaming! Back in the 1980s, Konami was a very prolific producer of video games for both arcades and consoles. In 1987, Konami released Arumana no Kiseki for the Nintendo Family Computer (Famicom) disk system. What struck me when I first played the game was the many creative elements it shared with the 1984 film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. The playable action hero was designed with close resemblance to Indiana Jones (complete with the fedora). The game even had locations that looked like they were ripped off from the 1984 movie. To learn more about Arumana no Kiseki, who created it and why it had lots of Indiana Jones-related elements in it, watch the video below.
#5 Roger Moore Technically Played James Bond in The Cannonball Run – Released in 1981, The Cannonball Run was an all-star comedy film with an emphasis on racing and stunts. It was heavily inspired by a real-life illegal cross-country motor race that happened in America in the 1970s and the movie had the very popular celebrities of the time like Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Farrah Fawcett and Roger Moore. Moore, who was already famous as the cinematic James Bond, technically played Agent 007 in The Cannonball Run. If you are curious and you want to know more, go watch Calvin Dyson’s retrospective of the movie and Moore’s presence.
#6 Jerusalem Walk Video – During the day-off of the Israel pilgrimage tour I joined in 2023, I took the rare opportunity to explore the city of Jerusalem on foot. I started the day at the Old City of Jerusalem where I visited the Temple Mount, the Western Wall and other holy sites before marching all the way to the modern part of Jerusalem going as far as the famous Mahane Yehuda market. This Jerusalem walk video brings back memories to me and if you love world travel, I encourage you to watch it.
Over a thousand rebels of the New People’s Army (NPA) and their supporters were neutralized as of August 13, according to a news article of the Philippine News Agency (PNA) citing the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Neutralized refers to the surrender, capture, or killing of enemy troops.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the PNA. Some parts in boldface…
The government’s campaign against communist insurgents is gaining momentum as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reported neutralizing 1,045 New People’s Army (NPA) rebels and their supporters during operations conducted from Jan. 1 to Aug. 13 this year.
Of the total, 935 surrendered, 38 were arrested, and 72 were killed in various military operations, AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said in a media interview late Tuesday.
“A total of 661 firearms and 255 anti-personnel mines were either seized or surrendered, and 38 encampments were seized (in the same period),” she said.
Neutralized is a military term that refers to the surrender, capture, or killing of enemy troops.
“The numbers give us an indication of the operational situation, but we should look beyond the numbers. The more significant story is that 935 CTG (communist terrorist group) members and supporters chose to surrender,” Padilla pointed out.
In 2025, the military said it neutralized around 2,018 NPA members and their supporters. The bulk of whom were surrenderers, at 1,798, while 93 were arrested and 127 were killed.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are you thankful to the AFP for neutralizing over a thousand Communist rebels and supporters as of mid-August? Are you convinced that there are still many millions of young Filipinos who took sides with the Leftist rebels? Do you think Democrats and/or the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) from the United States are secretly supporting Communist rebels here in the Philippines?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
It is clear that Russia is the newest regional problem for Japan. Not only have their ties been strained since 2022, tension intensified as Russia conducted a missile test off the group of islands claimed by Japan, according to a news report by Kyodo News. Recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Etorofu Island (referred by the Russians as Iturup) which drew backlash from the Japanese.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of Kyodo News. Some parts in boldface…
Russia’s Pacific Fleet said Thursday it has conducted a missile test off a group of Russian-held, Japanese-claimed islands amid an intensifying row over the disputed territory following President Vladimir Putin’s first-ever visit there last week.
While it was unclear exactly when the test was carried out, the announcement comes after the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Japanese Ambassador to Russia Akira Muto over Japan’s protest against Putin’s trip to the area.
Putin visited Etorofu Island, the largest of the four islands collectively called the Northern Territories by Japan and the Southern Kurils by Russia, on Aug. 13.
The naval fleet said a unit equipped with the Bastion surface-to-ship missile system conducted the test. The system is deployed to Etorofu.
The guided missile cruiser Varyag, the flagship of the Pacific Fleet, also took part in the missile test along with the Omsk nuclear-powered submarine, the fleet said.
The test simulated an attack on enemy vessels and succeeded in hitting all the intended targets at a range of at least 300 kilometers, according to the fleet.
“We cannot tolerate moves (by Russia) to strengthen military power on the four northern islands because they go against our country’s stance (on the territories),” Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told reporters Thursday during his visit to Oman.
A senior ministry official revealed Friday that Japan had lodged a protest with Russia shortly after Moscow notified Tokyo that it would conduct the missile exercise during the week beginning last Sunday.
Japan says the islands, which also include Kunashiri, Shikotan and the Habomai islet group, were illegally seized by the Soviet Union soon after Japan’s surrender in World War II on Aug. 15, 1945. Russia claims the action was legitimate, saying the islands became part of its territory as a result of the war.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think Russia’s military activity in the Pacific is the first sign of more disturbances that will affect Japan and possibly the rest of Asia? Do you anticipate China or North Korea will get involved in the Russia-Japan conflict at sea? Do you think the tension with Russia will negatively impact the economy of Japan?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
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 Ashleigh Burton reacts to Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb – When it comes to movies about the Cold War and the rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 movie Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb stood out with its very unique presentation backed with memorable performances by Peter Sellers and George C. Scott. The film was a satire about the Cold War tensions between America and Russia, and it gave moviegoers a unique look as to what could have happened behind the secured government offices and how each nation communicated with each other over the hotline. Kubrick’s film is so significant, it got featured in many movie reaction videos on YouTube and I had fun watching Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video. Go watch it now!
#2 Behind the Scenes Making of Resident Evil (1996) – It has been over thirty years since Resident Evil was first released and today it has grown into a multimedia entertainment franchise still driven by video game productions. Although many video game publications published a lot of articles about the original game from 1996, none of them captured the behind-the-scenes making at Capcom which the YouTube video below features. Even if you are not a Resident Evil fan, I still encourage you to watch it as you can learn a lot about the process, the hard work done by the Japanese and insight shared by Shinji Mikami.
#3 The Multi-million Dollar Theft With Fake Coupons – Over a decade ago, someone in the state of Arizona started an illegal operation using fake coupons which grew so dramatically, it became a shadow enterprise and two more people got involved. The operation of multiple fake shopping coupons robbed corporations several millions of Dollars and the one who started it got so rich she even bought herself many luxury vehicles. To find out the details about this true crime story, watch the video below and pay close attention.
#4 Austria Fought Back Against Islam – Massive immigration that includes Islamists who are obsessed with conquering new nations is very clearly dangerous and even toxic. With so many illegal aliens/immigrants and Muslims in Europe, it is clear that the future of the Europeans is looking more uncertain as time passes. Among them is Austria which boldly made changes to prioritize its own people and preserve its rich culture by pushing back hard against Islamists. Already there were Islamic scandals that were uncovered there in Austria. Watch and learn from the Fall of Nations video below.
#5 The Fall of BuzzFeed – Remember how popular BuzzFeed was? Even though a lot of people got lured by them, I never trusted BuzzFeed and I was never interested with their videos and other online gimmicks. BuzzFeed was also a very questionable participant in journalism no matter what they did to gain credibility. Fortunately for the world, BuzzFeed collapsed and deservedly so. To find out why, watch MAGAmark’s video below.
#6 Record-breaking Rainfall Hits Chiba Prefecture in Japan – Apart from being vulnerable to earthquakes which is connected with being located within the Pacific Ring of Fire, Japan also has its share of struggles with immense rainfall and flooding. Recently, record-breaking rainfall hit Chiba Prefecture causing a lot of flood and hardship for the Japanese. If you were a constant visitor to Japan, was there ever a time when you got caught in heavy rain and flooding there? Watch and learn from the Nippon TV video below.
#7 Role-playing Games About 1990s Anime – Believe it or not, there are indeed role-playing games (RPGs) based on anime properties that were popular in the 1990s. Of course, a lot of those anime-based RPGs were released only in Japan and some of them became playable with English translations through digital patches, emulation and fan-made translations. If you are into retro gaming, anime, RPGs and the 1990s, watch the Gaming Broductions video below.
#8 Assorted Pacific Rim Reaction Videos – When Pacific Rim was released in cinemas worldwide in 2013, I never bothered to watch it in the local cinema. Here in the Philippines, there was a lot of pre-release buzz that Manila would appear in the movie and so many local film buffs got excited. The movie eventually grossed over $400 million worldwide through theaters and a lot of people enjoyed its high-quality visuals, intense battles and the special attention to detail invested on the size and scale of the locations. The movie has been featured in several reaction videos and posted below are the entertaining ones to watch.
#9 Ranting for Vengeance Slams Video Essay Slop on YouTube – It is not a secret that YouTube is filled not only with artificial intelligence (AI) slop but also video essays made by individuals who arrogantly think of themselves as experts and wise creators. In his recent video, Ranting for Vengeance slammed the video essay slop on YouTube and explained in detail what kind of people created those videos, what their agenda and why people should not allow themselves to be influenced by them. I encourage you to watch the video below now.
#10 Shallow Focus is a Disease in Movies – There is a new trend that has influence the production of movies in Hollywood (AKA Commiewood) for many years now and it has literally become a disease which made the viewing of movies undesirable. The disease is shallow focus which occurs when the area of sharpness in front of a camera lens is very narrow which results in blurry backgrounds. Shallow focus is being abused in modern-day filmmaking and it is only getting worse. That said, I encourage you all to watch Rowan J Coleman’s video below and share it to as many film buffs as possible.
Following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Etorofu Island, Japan is considering a measure against Russia in response, according to a news report by Kyodo News. The Japanese have protested against the visit and tension with Russia is heating up.
Etorofu Island is located off Hokkaido and Japan has claimed it even though Russia has control of it. Historically, Russia – then the Soviet Union – seized Etorofu after Japan surrendered way back in World War II. The Russians call the island Iturup.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of Kyodo News. Some parts in boldface…
Japan is considering taking some measure against Russia, following President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Etorofu Island, a senior Foreign Ministry official said Friday.
Putin made his first trip to the Russian-controlled, Japanese-claimed island chain off Hokkaido as president or prime minister Thursday, drawing a backlash from Tokyo, which called it “totally unacceptable.”
“We are considering what step to take going forward,” the official told reporters. An additional sanction is believed to be under consideration.
The islands, known in Japan as the Northern Territories and by Russia as the Southern Kurils, have long been at the center of a territorial row between the countries. The visit came as ties between Japan and Russia remain strained amid Moscow’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Japan maintains that the island chain, consisting of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan and the Habomai islet group, was illegally seized by the Soviet Union soon after Japan’s surrender in World War II. Russia argues the seizure was legitimate.
On Thursday, the Japanese government summoned Nikolay Nozdrev, Russia’s ambassador in Tokyo, and lodged a strong protest over Putin’s visit, while Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the Northern Territories are an inherent part of Japanese territory “both historically and under international law.”
According to the Russian government, Putin visited a fish-processing plant, a hospital and a school and met with local residents.
The territorial dispute has meant the two countries have never signed a peace treaty after World War II.
Under former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi’s political mentor, Japan pursued closer ties with Russia in the hope of resolving the Northern Territories dispute. Abe met Putin 27 times during his tenure ending in 2020.
In 2018, the two agreed to accelerate peace treaty talks based on a 1956 joint declaration between Japan and the Soviet Union that called for the handover of two smaller islands — Shikotan and the Habomai islet group — after a peace treaty was signed.
The talks were suspended after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Prospects for resuming negotiations remain dim as ties have deteriorated following Japan’s participation in U.S.-led sanctions against Moscow.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the diplomatic relationship between Russia and Japan will remain strained for the foreseeable future? Do you consider Russia’s seizure of Etorofu Island illegal?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
The economy of the Philippines slowed down even further in the 2nd quarter of 2026 landing at 2.3%, according to a news report by GMA News. Embarrassingly, this made the Philippines an economic weakling among the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA News report. Some parts in boldface…
The Philippine economy continued to slow down in the second quarter of 2026, still due to a subdued investor and consumer sentiment amid the lingering effects of the flood control corruption scandal and the inflationary pressure brought by Middle East crisis-induced global fuel price shocks, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Friday.
At a press conference, PSA chief and National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa said the economy, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP)—the value of goods and services produced in a period— grew 2.3% in the April to June 2026 period, slower than the 2.8% growth seen in the first quarter of 2026.
This is the economy’s weakest footing since the fourth quarter of 2009—excluding the contraction seen during the COVID-19 pandemic years— when the GDP growth rate was at 1.8%.
The 2.8% second quarter GDP growth put the Philippines behind its neighbors in Southeast Asia that already released their April to June economic growth rates such as Indonesia at 5.29%, Vietnam at 8.39%, and Singapore at 5.7%.
The first half of 2026 GDP growth rate stood at 2.6%, still behind the government’s downwardly revised target of 3.5% to 4.5% for the entire year.
Despite the economic slowdown, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said, “What we are experiencing right now, I believe, is transitory, temporary.”
“Domestic demand remained subdued, mainly because total investment continued to contract as public construction declined. Household consumption growth also moderated amid higher inflation, job losses, and lower remittance receipts arising from the Middle East conflict,” Balisacan said.
Household final consumption expenditure grew 2.8%, slower than 5.2% in the same period last year, weighed by contractions in transport (-7.5%), alcoholic beverages and tobacco (-1.9%), recreation and culture (-0.8%), and restaurants and hotels (-0.2%).
Government expenditure, likewise, slowed down by 8.3% from 8.7% year-on-year; while gross capital formation (GCF) —which measures investments— contracted by 9.2% from a growth rate of 0.9% a year ago.
The decline in GCF was due to the decline in construction at 14.8% with government spending on construction contracting 32.4%.
“Although public construction is a small part of the economy, the amount of contraction, at 32%, brought a significant impact on the economy,” Balisacan said.
“The sharp decline in public construction was the main contributor in the decline in investments… driven by continuous caution due to the flood control scandal,” the country’s chief economist said.
Among the major economic sectors, agriculture posted a growth rate of 2.7%, slower than 7% year-on-year; industry declined by 2.4%, from an increase of 2.1% weighed by the construction’s depreciation; services grew slower at 4.5% from 6.9%.
Agriculture, industry, and services sector contributed 7.5%, 27.9%, and 63.3%, respectively to the total GDP during the quarter.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the economy of the Philippines will eventually fall into a recession in 2027? Do you believe that the hosting of the ASEAN summit by the Philippines will result in economic miracles and more foreign investment?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
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 A Look At The Johnson County War – If you have seen the 1980 movie Heaven’s Gate, then you have been exposed to the Johnson County War which was a ranger war in the state of Wyoming that happened from 1889 to 1893. What the movie showed, however, was a historical fiction presentation and it could not be taken seriously as a reference of American history. To learn about the Johnson County War with historical attention, watch the video below.
#2 Popcorn in Bed Reacts To U-571 – Speaking of historical fiction, have you seen the movie U-571? When that movie was released in 2000, it only reminded me of other submarine movies like Das Boot, The Hunt For Red October and Crimson Tide. The movie directed by Jonathan Mostow and starring Matthew McConaughey made a lot of buzz when it opened at #1 in the American box office and that success influenced a lot of moviegoers here in the Philippines to watch it in local cinemas. I never saw U-571 but I noticed how much of an impact it had on Popcorn in Bed’s reaction video which I encourage you to watch.
#3 Japan Pushes Back Against Islam – There is a disturbing trend that has been happening in Japan that their local media and the international news organizations are not telling you…the Islamic foreigners there have been causing a series of disturbances such as occupying public spaces for Muslim prayers/gatherings, littering, rape, the construction of an illegal mosque and more. That said, there are lots of Japanese nationalists and concerned citizens who are fighting back and expressing demands and complaints to their government officials. It is clear that the Muslim foreigners there in Japan have this collective mindset of conquering Japan, violating the Japanese and gaining power under the guise of multiculturalism and political correctness. Watch the videos below.
#4 The Relevance Of The 1990s – Remember how unique the 1990s was when it comes to the evolution of technology, the marketing of products, the gradual transformation of pop culture in America and the like? There was indeed something special about the said decade which explains the driving force behind the Millennials’ nostalgia about it. To find out more, watch the video below.
#5 When Hollywood Released Two Similar Movies In 1998 – Way back in 1998, moviegoers worldwide saw two movies from Hollywood that had similar concepts about the world getting hit by something from deep space. The movies were Deep Impact and Armageddon, and they were released in the same summer box office season in America. Deep Impact was more dramatic and tried hard to be believable while Armageddon was highly exaggerated and had Michael Bay’s flair all over it. The two films were released at a time when disaster movies had a resurgence and they used computer-generated images to make realize their respective visual concepts. I find an analytical video about the two 1998 movies and I encourage you all to watch it.
#6 You, Me And The Movies React To Ghost In The Shell (1995) – There are many reasons why the 1995 anime feature film Ghost in the Shell is very significant. The adaptation of Masamune Shirow’s literary Ghost in the Shell was made with very high production values under the direction of Mamoru Oshii, the story had many futuristic concepts that became very relevant today, and it was very influential for many Hollywood filmmakers. That said, I liked how the anime feature film drew reactions from You, Me and the Movies, and their reaction video is a must-see!
#7 Casablanca Reaction Video Of EOM Reacts – There is nothing like watching a classic, black-and-white movie like Casablanca. Set in French Morocco, the story follows many characters dealing with the uncertainty of war and it is inside the nightclub and gambling den of American expatriate Rick Blaine where a lot of developments happened. The 1942 movie is memorable with its top-notch stars (Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman are phenomenal), the dramatic plot, the immersive settings and many iconic lines and moments. I have seen the movie a few times already on 4K Blu-ray format and I enjoyed watching EOM Reacts’ video of it. Go watch his video below.
#8 Soba Getting Reinvented In Japan – Soba – a Japanese noodle made from buckwheat flour – is getting reinvented in Japan as the traditional shops there are struggling with the rising costs of ingredients as well as a growing shortage of successors to the operators. In an effort to stay in business while avoiding raising prices, the surviving soba restaurants (and some new ones) there are reinventing the dining experience and doing other things to preserve the traditional soba culture. Watch and learn from the video below.
#9 Ranting For Vengeance Slams Zach Cregger And His Resident Evil Movie – As some of you already know, there is another new live-action movie of Resident Evil coming out soon and the early previews showed very little connections with the Resident Evil games of Capcom. Actor Zach Cregger is the director and co-writer of the new Resident Evil movie and Ranting for Vengeance slammed him hard in his recent YouTube video. Not only that, the YouTuber also backed up his criticism on Cregger and the 2026 Resident Evil movie with facts and details that you have to see. That said, go watch his video below and pay close attention to the details.
#10 Atari Jaguar CD Revisited – While I played a lot of games of Atari (both on Atari 2600 console and arcade games) in my life, I never owned an Atari Jaguar nor its CD-ROM add-on device. Indeed, there was a time in the 1990s when Atari got back in console gaming starting with the Jaguar console that operated with games in cartridge format. A short time later, the add-on Atari Jaguar CD was released and it looked like a toilet with the lid open. To learn more about the Atari Jaguar CD, watch the retro gaming video below.
In this age of artificial intelligence (AI), the rising use of drones in military operations and Communist China’s disturbing presence at sea, the Defense Ministry of Japan sees the urgent need to prepare the nation for the new ways of warfare, according to a news article by Jiji Press.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of Jiji Press. Some parts in boldface…
Japan’s Defense Ministry emphasized the urgent need to prepare for what it calls new ways of warfare leveraging drones and artificial intelligence technology in an annual white paper adopted Tuesday.
The 2026 report, submitted by Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi to the day’s cabinet meeting, also displayed vigilance over the Chinese military’s expanding activities in the Pacific, saying Japan should respond with its “comprehensive national power.”
The white paper said that large-scale attacks combining low-cost unmanned equipment and conventional missiles have been conducted on the battlefields of Ukraine fighting Russia’s aggression.
Acknowledging that preparing for prolonged conflicts has become a key issue, the government stressed the importance of securing adequate stockpiles and ensuring sustained operational capability.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you support the idea of Japan tremendously modernizing itself militarily to defend itself while pushing back against Communist China’s military presence at sea? Would you like to see Japan become more sophisticated in the new ways of warfare using whatever state-of-the-art technologies it has? Do you think Japan should approach the United States for more advanced military hardware?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
