woke – Page 21 – Author Carlo Carrasco

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 23

July 3, 2024June 29, 2024carlocarrasco

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

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

#1 Woke Disney’s discriminatory practices confirmed and caught on camera – Being woke means being foolish and wicked. What was discussed before about the woke Disney Company’s distorted approach on hiring workers as well as promoting their current workers was confirmed to be true as a Disney executive confirmed it openly on camera. A lot of footage has been recorded of him talking about Disney’s discrimination against white males as they empower people of minorities (colored people, the under-represented ethnic groups, etc.). You should watch the two videos I selected from Midnight’s Edge ad RK Outpost. Woke Disney should be brought to justice!

#2 Video documentary about Sega’s Streets of Rage franchise – YouTuber PatmanQC recently published another informative and entertaining look at the history of Sega’s popular Streets of Rage game franchise. This includes the behind-the-scenes development of the first game that hit the arcades, as well as the different versions that appeared on multiple platforms.

#3 Somewhere in Time videos – Somewhere in Time (1980) was a film that starred the late Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour and Christopher Plummer. While it was never successful in movie theaters, it became a big hit on cable TV, public TV and home video. As its legacy lived on, it is not surprising that there are several movie reaction videos, video reviews and other features about it on YouTube. Posted below are some selected videos for those of you who wish to discover more of Somewhere in Time.

#4 A look at the rise and fall of the Orlando Magic – Back in the mid-1990s, a lot of my friends (who love basketball) became fans of the Orlando Magic which had Shaquille O’Neal, Penny Hardaway, Nick Anderson (the guy who missed 4 crucial free throws in specific NBA Finals game), Horace Grant and Dennis Scott. Their excitement really went overboard when the Magic of 1994-95 successfully won the Eastern Conference Finals and entered the NBA Finals to face off with the defending champion Houston Rockets. Of course, as recorded by history, the Magic got swept away by the Rockets even though they had the home court advantage. If you are nostalgic about 1990s NBA action or if you want to see how different the Orlando Magic was back in the 1990s, then you should watch the video below.

#5 Stockton to Malone (but still no NBA championship) – Still on the topic of basketball, do you remember the so-called golden age of the Utah Jazz when they had Karl Malone and John Stockton who together were among the very best players in the NBA back then? For the newcomers reading this, the Utah Jazz made it to the NBA Finals of 1997 and 1998 but lost each time to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. Long before those championship series happened, the Utah Jazz became a serious playoff contender in 1988 (pushing the LA Lakers to seven games in the Western Conference Semifinals) and went on to struggle in the years that followed. As for Stockton and Malone, they each had great basketball achievements but never won a championship. To learn more with a lot of details plus in-depth analysis, watch the video below.

#6 Heart of Darkness retrospective video – Way back in 1998, I played the video game Heart of Darkness on the PlayStation console but never got to finish it. While the cinematic cutscenes are not outstanding, the graphics used for gameplay was eye-catching thanks to the developers’ artistic and technical approach. This should not be surprising as the game was supervised by Eric Chahi who was best known for Another World. To learn more about Heart of Darkness’ production history, watch the video below.

#7 A look at Salamander (AKA Life Force) – Still on the topic of retro gaming, I had fun memories playing Salamander (titled Life Force in North America) on the Family Computer (Famicom) back in the late-1980s. It was a sci-fi 2D scrolling shooter that not only featured side-scrolling levels but also vertical levels. Developed and published by Konami, Salamander was a spin-off of Gradius (an acclaimed 2D side-scrolling shooter on its own) but it became successful in entertaining players with the two-player mode, unique challenges, fine gameplay features and outstanding visuals. To learn more about Salamander, watch the selected videos below.

#8 Friday The 13^th Part 3 videos – If there is anything significant about Friday The 13^th Part 3 (1982) other than being filmed in 3D, it is the fact that it marked a creative turning point for the franchise. It was in this movie that the film series really started to take shape with Jason Voorhees as its feature antagonist. That being said, it is not surprising that there are lots of retro reviews/reactions and feature videos about it. Watch the selected videos below.

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

Gears of War: E-Day was the pleasant surprise of the 2024 Xbox Games Showcase

June 19, 2024June 14, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back Xbox fans, geeks and gamers!

With the exception of a certain 3^rd party games that turned out to be a creative misfires respectively, the 2024 Xbox Games Showcase (also referred to as Xbox Showcase) was clearly a powerful showcase of future games on the Xbox ecosystem and the 1^st party games of Team Xbox displayed is the most exciting bunch yet!

As mentioned before, we are now living in the age of Microsoft-owned Activision, Blizzard, King and Bethesda, and Team Xbox has many game studios as a result. The 2024 Xbox Games Showcase is just the taste of many exciting and fun 1^st party games coming out in the near future (including the Game Pass services for Xbox and PC) with titles like the Perfect Dark reboot, the Fable reboot, South of Midnight, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and more.

Among the many 1^st party games showcased was Gears of War: E-Day which turned out to be the most pleasant surprise as many people heavily anticipated Gears of War 6 and the Marcus Fenix Collection. On my part, I anticipated GOW6 and a Gears Tactics sequel to be announced but what was unveiled officially was both intriguing and captivating. To find out more what Gears of War: E-Day is about, watch the official unveiling below…

Being made by The Coalition using the Unreal 5 engine (the same engine used in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II), Gears of War: E-Day is the origin story that depicts the horror of Locust invasion on Emergence Day through the eyes of the iconic Marcus Fenix. For the newcomers reading this, Emergence Day refers to the event when the Locus Horde emerged from the depths of the planet Sera and started major assaults on human cities causing massive counts of deaths. Chronologically, Gears of War: E-Day is set fourteen years before the events of the original Gears of War game.

As seen in the above trailer, Marcus Fenix looks younger and you can see him struggling in what seems to be his first-ever personal and physical fight with one of the Locusts. There is also a subtle reference in the video that sends gamers a message – the MK1 Lancer is here and it is NOT the chainsaw-equipped gun that became the iconic weapon of choice in the Gears of War franchise. Again, the story of this upcoming game is set more than a decade before the first GOW and The Coalition developers have planned some changes that will impact not only the interactive experience but also the storytelling.

*Do you recognize the eyes of Marcus Fenix in this image? The high level of detail of Unreal Engine 5 combined with the digital artistry of The Coalition make a great combination!*

Gears of War: E-Day is looking like a very welcome addition to not only its franchise but also for future releases on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Windows PC, as well as for Game Pass subscribers among Xbox and PC gamers. I doubt that a version of the game will be released on aging Xbox One consoles. As to when will the new game be released, I am speculating it would be in November 2026 as that month would mark the 20th anniversary of the release of the original GOW. It is also possible that Microsoft will release the next-generation Xbox console on that same month as well.

Gears 5 was the last main Gears of War game I played during the final months of the existence of my old Xbox One console. I played Gears Tactics on my Xbox Series X a few years ago which was fun experience. That being said, Gears of War: E-Day is the next GOW game to look forward to.

I certainly hope that The Coalition will STOP implementing wokeness, identity politics and foolish feminism (present in Gears of War 4 and Gears 5) into the new game and just make Gears of War: E-Day be much more like the original Gears of War of 2006…a war story about a band of brothers (the grunts) who risked their lives to accomplish mission objectives. The original Gears of War had the vibe of 1980s Hollywood action cinema – specifically from Predator (1987) – and I want to see that implemented in the new game.

*Here is hoping that this prequel will be released within two years’ time. Xbox fans have waited long for 1st party exclusive games to be released in this current console generation.*

You can learn more about Gears of War: E-Day by clicking https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2024/06/09/gears-of-war-e-day-interview-details-xbox-games-showcase-2024/

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 22

June 15, 2024June 25, 2024carlocarrasco

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

#1 The miraculous rescue of hostages – In case you missed the news, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) successfully rescued four Israeli hostages, fought with the Palestinian terrorists and brought the hostages home safely. This not some high-risk operation turned lucky. This operation was a blessing from the Lord God whose covenant with the Jewish people has always been true and standing to this day. All the praise, honor, thanks and glory to Him! Ignore the lies of the Islamo-Leftist mainstream news media and focus on the truth by watching the selected videos below…

#2 European Union (EU) elections resulted in the fall of the Satanic Left – Very recently, a series of elections took place in Europe which determined the composition of the European Union (EU) parliament. European voters who have grown sick and tired of the policies of the Satanic Left (examples: mass migration, taking care of illegal aliens at taxpayers’ expense, fascist climate change policies, government corruption) made their choices by electing more conservative and more nationalistic/patriotic candidates. In Italy, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni saw her party gain power while the President of France had no choice but to dissolve French parliament (National Assembly) and call for a snap election. Watch and learn more from the videos below…

#3 Documentary of the Houston Rockets’ amazing 1995 NBA championship defense – Never underestimate the heart of a sports champion. That is the moral lesson behind the unbelievable successful NBA championship defense the Houston Rockets achieved in 1995. For the newcomers reading this, the Rockets won the title in 1994 but ended up ranking only 6^th place on the Western Conference the following season. This meant that the Rockets had no home court advantage through the NBA Playoffs of 1995. How they defied expectations and overcame tough obstacles to win a 2^nd straight NBA championship must be seen in the selected NBA documentary video. Enjoy!

#4 A very deep look back at Lost Odyssey – Lost Odyssey is not just a very notable video game released only on Xbox 360 many years ago. It was arguably the most defining, traditional Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) that can be best described as a Final Fantasy game without the name. To be clear, Lost Odyssey involved the combined talents of Japanese greats Hironobu Sakaguchi (Final Fantasy creator), Takehiko Inoue (famous manga artist) and Nobuo Uematsu (musician always know for Final Fantasy), and it was an ambitious JRPG that also happened to be an Xbox-exclusive game. If you wish to know more about Lost Odyssey, what it has in common with Final Fantasy games and why it remains a very notable game, watch the documentary below…

#5 PatmanQC’s Ring King retrospective – Retro gaming YouTuber PatmanQC published recently his retrospective video about the 1980s game Ring King (also titled as King of Boxer) which is fun and informative to watch.

#6 You, Me and the Movies’ The Blob (1958) reaction – Recently the 1958 version of The Blob was featured by You, Me and the Movies in a movie reaction video which is entertaining to watch.

#7 RK Outpost examines woke Star Wars – It is no secret that under the umbrella of the woke Disney company and the Lucasfilm leadership of Kathleen Kennedy, the established entertainment franchises of Star Wars and Indiana Jones got ruined. Sad to say, Star Wars continues to be made with extreme wokeness and rabid feminism, reaching the point of completely ruining the sci-fi franchise as we know it. Watch and learn from RK Outpost’s videos below…

#8 The evil of Palestinian terrorist group Hamas – It cannot be denied that Palestinian terrorist group Hamas is pure evil. So pure is their evil, they want nothing less than committing complete genocide against Israel and its people. To his day, pro-Palestine zealots cannot even tell the difference between good and evil, and right and wrong. For the Palestinians and its brainwashed supporters (all supported secretly by terrorist state Iran), terrorism, violence and murder are the only ways to achieve what they want. Watch and learn from the videos below…

#9 2024 Xbox Games Showcase videos – Following the lackluster Sony State of Play and Summer Game Fest, Team Xbox and its partners came out blazing with the 2024 Xbox Games Showcase recently. In my view, it was a big improvement over last year’s showcase (which itself was quite good) and there were highlights that should not be ignored. Posted below are selected videos for your viewing pleasure.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 21

June 5, 2024June 1, 2024carlocarrasco

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

#1 The fall of Humza Yousaf and vindication of author J.K. Rowling – In case you missed the news, Humza Yousaf (born in Scotland to Pakistani immigrants) stepped down as First Minister of Scotland as he faced imminent votes of no confidence in himself and in his government. This vindicated Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling who opposed Scotland’s new hate crime laws (which extends to people who identified as transgendered and yet ignored biological women) and pointed out Humza Yousaf’s contempt for women. For more details, watch the video below.

#2 PatmanQC’s video documentary of P.O.W.: Prisoners of War – P.O.W.: Prisoners of Wars was one of those classic arcade games that I never got to play. It was made by SNK which is the same company behind the popular fighting game franchises King of Fighters, Fatal Fury and Art of Fighting. P.O.W.: Prisoners of War was a Cold War-inspired side-scrolling beat-them-up game that achieved big success in Japan. In PatmanQC’s video, you will learn a lot about SNK’s arcade game, what elements of real life inspired it, what other arcade games influenced the game designers to create it, and more.

#3 The significance of Rik Smits in the NBA – When it comes to the NBA, one has to take a look at the contributions of retired player Rik Smits (the Dunking Dutchman). Smits’ name may not have the big attraction of other centers of his era such as Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal, Patrick Ewing and Robert Parish, but still he was a really solid center as well as a huge factor behind the rise of the Indiana Pacers in the 1990s. By the time he retired, the Pacers made it to the NBA Finals of 2000. Watch these selected videos of Rik Smits. You will learn a lot and be entertained with Smits’ basketball action!

#4 X-Men: The Last Stand movie reaction videos – For a movie declared as an inferior or disappointing follow-up to 2003’s X2: X-Men United, X-Men: The Last Stand still became a popular film subject in several movie reaction videos on YouTube. Just type the keywords on YouTube’ search engine and you will find a lot of movie reaction videos of the Brett Ratner-directed superhero movie. For your entertainment, the most enjoyable movie reaction videos have been posted below.

#5 You, Me and the Movies’ reaction video of Clash of the Titans (1981) – As a young boy, I saw Clash of the Titans (1981) and it was an entertaining ride of its time. This was one of those many fantasy movies that were released in the 1980s and it was the final work of stop-motion visual effects legend Ray Harryhausen. Recently, You, Men and the Movies published their reaction video of it which is entertaining and you can watch it below.

#6 PatmanQC’s Super Pac-Man retrospective video – I first learned about Super Pac-Man way back in the 1980s by seeing it on TV but I never got to play it in the arcades. In recent times, I downloaded Pac-Man Museum+ through Xbox Game Pass (XGP) and finally got to play Super Pac-Man on my Xbox Series X. I had fun playing it as I adjusted with the gameplay which had notable differences compared to the original Pac-Man arcade game. To learn more about Super Pac-Man, watch PatmanQC’s retrospective video below.

#7 Extensive look back at Sega Saturn games – YouTuber Sega Lord X recently published this extensive video looking back at the Sega Saturn and its games. This is a must-see video because the Sega Saturn had numerous games and many of them were actually fun to play. Ignore those articles that called the Saturn a bad console and just focus on the games by watching the video below.

#8 FilmComicsExplained’s video about how to survive Deep Impact – In relation to my previous post highlighting the movie reaction video of Deep Impact (by YouTuber Popcorn in Bed), posted below is FilmComicsExplained’s video is focused on survival within the context of the 1998 film. There are some sensible and notable points of discussion made which should encourage people to replay Deep Impact and even question the way governments deal with disaster management on a massive scale. You will possibly think twice about depending on the government for your survival. Watch the video below now.

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Lady who scammed senior citizens at ATMs arrested

May 28, 2024May 18, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently in Batangas, police officers arrested a lady for allegedly stealing money from senior citizens at automated teller machines (ATMs), according to a GMA Network news report. As it turned out, the arrested suspect scammed victims in multiple locations and she was previously arrested for the same crime. The suspect’s tactics include the pretentious assistance of senior citizens at ATMs and using glue on keypads of the machines.

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

A woman dubbed the “Glue Lady” was arrested for allegedly stealing money from senior citizens withdrawing from ATM Machines.

According to a 24 Oras report by John Consulta on Friday, the woman was arrested in an operation in Lipa, Batangas.

“Ang modus niya ay kunwari aalalayan niya ang mga matatanda para makapagwithdraw. Yun pala, gagamit siya ng glue at pag umalis na yung biktima, siya na ang magwiwithdraw ng pera,” said PNP PRO4A Regional Director Police Brigadier General Paul Kenneth Lucas.

(Her ploy is that she pretends to assist senior citizens in withdrawing. All along, she uses glue and withdraws money when the victim leaves.)

Based on police reports, the suspect puts glue on the ATM keypad so that it appears broken.

When the suspect persuades the victim to ask for help from the guards, she removes the glue and withdraws from the account.

The suspect was able to scam victims in Rizal, Batangas, and other areas outside of CALABARZON. She had previous arrests for the same crime five years ago.

“Ngayon ay naisilbi na ang 9 na warrant of arrests, may paparating na 9 pa, ang isa doon ay non bailable. Importanteng nahuli na natin siya para di na siya makaperwisyo,” added Lucas.

(We have now served nine warrants of arrests, and nine more are coming with one non-bailable case. It’s a good thing that we have apprehended her so that she can’t trouble anyone else)

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you know anyone who got scammed by the apprehended suspect? Did you notice suspicious people standing near you whenever you visit an ATM to withdraw cash?

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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A Look Back at RoboCop 2 #1 (1990)

May 10, 2024April 28, 2024carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1990 to take a close look at the comic book adaptation of the movie RoboCop 2 (1990).

Before getting to the new retro comic book review, I should state that my friends and I had a fun time watching RoboCop 2 in the cinema shortly after it opened here in the Philippines. Back then, I was not yet a comic book collector and I rarely visited comic book specialty stores. That being said, I was unaware that Marvel Comics actually published an adaptation in the form of a 3-issue mini-series.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at RoboCop 2 #1, published in 1990 by Marvel with a story written by Alan Grant and drawn by Mark Bagley based on the movie screenplay by Frank Miller and Walon Green.

Early story

The story begins in Detroit where the cops are run by corporations and the streets have turned into red-alert war zones. Crime is overwhelming the city and the highly addictive narcotic poses the greatest threat facing societies. The surgeon general who made the public warning about nuke was killed and the crime boss Cain (leader of a cult of nuke addicts and pushers) claims responsibility. Through the news media, Cain tells the public that nuke will make people’s problems go away and people want its paradise.

Under the management of Omni Consumer Products (OCP), several of Detroit’s police officers go on strike demanding better terms from their employer. The City Government of Detroit under Mayor Kuzak missed a payment (in relation to them owing $37 million) and OCP begins to move to foreclose the city and its assets in accordance to the terms of the contract. Mayor Kuzak accuses OCP of engineering the police strike which made crime rampant.

Elsewhere in the evening, the cruel activities of the thugs got disrupted by the arrival of a police car. Even though the police car got destroyed by the thugs, RoboCop emerges and begins to fight back…

Quality

*There is simply no holding back for RoboCop when it comes to doing police work at a time when many police officers are on strike while crime has turned more rampant in Detroit.*

This opening issue of the mini-series sticks close the basic plot of the movie (right until after Cain’s gang dismantled RoboCop) although there were a few notable differences with the sequence of events and there were scenes that showed the creative team took liberties to make the story suitable with the literary format in mind. That being said, don’t expect to see the key moments of the movie look exactly the same in this comic book and don’t expect to see the characters here looking like the actors who played them on the big screen. In terms of visual and literary presentation, this adaptation has a lot in common with the Total Recall comic book adaptation which coincidentally was released the same year.

For me, this is indeed a really readable comic book that has its stylized approach on telling the movie’s concept. OCP is the most powerful entity in the story while Cain and his gang are clearly the force of evil that strongly pose danger not only to Detroit’s people but even to the very divided police force. Nuke as the dangerous object of the plot clearly was inspired from elements of the real life war against drugs in 1980s America which made this story socially relevant.

*Very clearly these villains look nothing like actors Tom Noonan, Galyn Görg and Gabriel Damon.*

Like in the movie, RoboCop here performs his law enforcement duty in an uncompromising manner even though memories of his past life as officer Murphy re-emerged deep inside. That being said, there are a few moments in which you might sympathize with the titular hero as this comic book pays close attention to the conflict between humanity and technology.

The action scenes here are sufficient but clearly don’t come anywhere close to the intensity of the film in terms of violence. Still, there is enough action for readers to enjoy.

When it comes to the visuals, the artwork done by Mark Bagley eerily looks comparable with Tom Lyle’s art in the Total Recall comic book of 1990. For the newcomers read this, Bagley became a popular artist through the Amazing Spider-Man monthly series and the Venom: Lethal Protector comic books that were released after years after this one. Having seen many of Bagley’s works published in 1992 to 1995, I can hardly recognize his art style in this comic book adaptation. The way he drew people’s faces in this comic book looks very different from those seen in Amazing Spider-Man issues. At the same time, Bagley’s own take on RoboCop has that balanced approach on depicting humanity with machinery while also making the hero look less bulky compared to the movie’s version.

Conclusion

*Julie Faxx of OCP sure talks like a woke nut and rabid feminist in this scene.*

RoboCop 2 #1 (1990) is clearly not a faithful adaptation of selected parts of the movie but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. This is more about the Grant-Bagley team doing their own visual presentation of the movie script copy they had and ultimately they succeeded in making this comic book a stylized and worthy reading experience. This is indeed a surprisingly entertaining read and I can say that I am looking forward to reading the next issue.

Overall, RoboCop 2 #1 (1990) is recommended.

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Lara Croft redefined and remembered

May 8, 2024May 7, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back Xbox fans, geeks and gamers! I want to share with you that in recent times, I played and finished Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition (2014) on my Xbox Series X console.

This is not a retro review of the said game. I want to share with you all that I played Tomb Raider (2013) on my Xbox 360 a long time ago. While the game was indeed fun, I never actually replayed it. That being said, Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition was my way of replaying it except that I have a more modern console to enjoy it with plus more gaming content. I accumulated over 300 Microsoft points (Xbox achievements) along the way.

*The very intense action sequence in Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition.*

The overall game design by Crystal Dynamics is still fun to interact with and the game’s production values are still of good quality. What I liked most with Crystal Design’s work is the way they designed the tale to immerse players into the action-packed settings while also succeeding in redefining the iconic Lara Croft with both long-time fans and new gamers in mind. Achieving these two goals together is very challenging for most game developers.

For the newcomers reading this, the Tomb Raider reboot of 2013 has a story concept filled with chains of unfortunate events that players will experience as Lara Croft who in turn has to overcome tremendous obstacles to survive and help her companions live on.

The new Lara Croft that Crystal Dynamics came up with is a young British woman (played by Camilla Luddington) who is about to become the Tomb Raider (the brave explorer). Early in the 2013 game, Lara learned a lot about archaeology from her travels with her parents (note: her father is an established explorer) who went on several expeditions. In different times, she eventually lost her parents which led to her inheriting the family fortune while receiving care from Conrad Roth. Lara joins a group in what turned out to be her first-ever expedition with the goal to find the lost kingdom of Yamatai.

Crystal Dynamics’ revision of Lara Croft is radically different from the original version of the early Tomb Raider games that I played on PlayStation in the 1990s. The modern Lara – as defined in the 2013 reboot and the two sequels released in 2015 and 2018 – is a survivor who went through lots of pain and killing as she faced armed opposition (the group Trinity is the antagonistic force in Rise of the Tomb Raider and Shadow of the Tomb Raider) that got in her way. By comparison, the original Lara Croft of the 1990s was a rich and very talented explorer who negotiates with prominent clients to do jobs (adventures around the world) that they can’t do.

Going back to the 2013 game, Lara Croft was portrayed to be vulnerable as the odds are so strong against her. Crystal Dynamics designed the game to make players relate with Lara’s gradual development into a fighter, survivor and hunter. This includes gameplay elements that were introduced from one stage to the next. That being said, by the time I reached the final stages of the game, I became experienced with the new capabilities Lara gained such as climbing, jumping great distances, shooting, firing with arrows, skinning the hunted animals, solving environmental puzzles and finding ancient artifacts.

Whether you play the 2013 game or the Definitive Edition, it is clear that Crystal Dynamics’ work on Tomb Raider is an undeniable success as they strongly redefined Lara Croft while establishing rock-solid gameplay. Crystal Dynamics hit their creative peak in Rise of the Tomb Raider (which I finished on Xbox One) before giving way to Eidos-Montreal (as lead developer) and provided support in Shadow of the Tomb Raider (I also finished this on Xbox One).

*Screenshot captured from the very late stage of Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition.*

Personally, I like the 2013 modernization of Lara Croft. While she is not the eroticized figure the original Lara of the 1990s was, she still has a strong sex appeal and the way she was portrayed in the three games (2013-2018) made sense as her personally kept developing in a believable fashion with each new game. That being said, I just hope that Crystal Dynamics and its partners will not ruin the gaming icon with wokeness, identity politics and the garbage of the Leftists in future big-budget Tomb Raider games. Lara Croft is well defined with adventuring, exploration, survival and a fighter against evil forces.

Elements of wicked Iran (wicked since 1979) would serve as fitting enemies of Lara Croft in a future big-budget Tomb Raider game. This one is from Tomb Raider #1 (1999). Iran is a terrorist state and the chief sponsor of terrorists.

I am watching your moves, Crystal Dynamics. Don’t forget you have a responsibility to the fans. Please avoid falling into the temptation of turning the Tomb Raider franchise and Lara Croft herself into woke agenda vehicles. Going woke means betrayal towards fans and doing things the very wrong way.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 17

April 19, 2024April 19, 2024carlocarrasco

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

#1 The Garden of Eden location video – Let me start first by stating that everything in the Holy Bible (the Word of God) is absolutely true. I truly believe in the Bible and the ancient record of the creation of the world, Adam and Eve, and the Garden of Eden existed and there is nothing that science could do to refute them. Recently, YouTube channel HolyLandSite posted a video about the most likely location of the Garden of Eden, explaining in detail how it came to be, where it existed and how to properly understand what is written in the Holy Bible which truly describes it as a genuine place created by God.

#2 Mosab Hassan Yousef (son of a Hamas co-founder) proves the North American pro-Palestine believers to be very wrong, ignorant, foolish and delusional on Dr. Phil show – Mosab Hassan Yousef is the son of a Hamas co-founder, was raised with hateful teachings against Jewish people, was a Hamas member who fought against Israel, stopped being evil, repented and submitted to Lord Jesus, is now a strong supporter of Israel and has been working against the terrorists. Considering his upbringing and background, it is not surprising that he proved the pro-Palestine believers/activists to be wrong, ignorant, brainwashed and foolish! The pro-Palestine believers here are so brainwashed by Islamo-Leftists superiors, they failed to see the evil of their movement, and they do not care about the victims of the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks on Israel committed by Hamas. Watch the videos below…

To all the pro-Palestine believers, Bill and Hillary Clinton idolaters, the woke zealots, the Satanic Democrats, the LGBTQ people, the illegal aliens, the Islamo-Leftists and those who love terrorist Yasser Arafat reading this…you are all on the wrong side of history!

If you want to truly change yourselves for good, stop being evil, repent to Lord Jesus and submit to Him with all your heart. You still have time.

#3 Contra games comparison videos plus an explanatory video – Recently, I took advantage of the Xbox online store sale to purchase the digital copy of Contra Anniversary Collection for roughly $4 and I started playing the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and the Family Computer (Famicom) versions of the classic game Contra on my Xbox Series X console. Indeed, there were notable differences between the two versions with regards to graphics and storytelling presentations. Not only that, Contra Anniversary Collection also contains the original arcade version of Contra (meant to be compared to the NES/Famicom ports) as well as the European version of Contra called Probotector. Even Contra III: The Alien Wars also had a different version in Europe. I also added one explanatory video titled Contra: From Arcade to NES & Beyond. Watch the videos below…

#4 Poltergeist movie reaction videos plus another two other related videos – Let me make it clear to all of you that I am not a fan of the 1982 supernatural horror movie Poltergeist. As a film buff, I do give Steven Spielberg, director Tobe Hooper and their production team for the creative stuff they came up with (including the visual effects) to making it stand out among the many horror movies Hollywood made over the past 40+ years. That being said, it is not surprising that Poltergeist became a popular film featured in multiple movie reaction videos by different YouTubers. Watch their reaction videos plus two related others (from Minty Comedic Arts) below…

#5 A close look at the classic game Paperboy – Way back in 1989, I visited the United States of America for the first time and I could not forget the time I spent playing in a huge video arcade in one of the fancy hotels of Las Vegas. One of the first arcade games I played back then was Paperboy which I quickly found to be a lot of fun. I liked the game so much, I kept playing it in that same arcade and years later, I played versions of it on PC and the Nintendo Entertainment System. That being said, if you have not played or discovered the classic game, you can learn all about it in this video by YouTuber PatmanQC.

#6 Caught on camera: Electric bike (e-bike) hits elderly woman who later died – Recently here in the Philippines, a major TV network reported an accident in which an elderly woman got hit hard by a moving electric bike (e-bike) driven by a man who was distracted (as caught on video and witnessed by bystanders). The elderly woman eventually died while the suspect has since been apprehended facing a charge of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide. For the newcomers reading this, there are already many cases of careless or reckless driving committed by people who drove electric bikes (e-bikes) or electric tricycles (e-trikes) on public roads along with cars, vans, buses and trucks. This latest incident does not help the case of e-bike/e-trike drivers and owners at all. Posted below is the news video about the e-bike that hit the elderly woman.

#7 Wicked Iran’s assault against Israel – I cannot stay silent about this. Iran and its terrorist proxies launched missiles and drones against Israel (which had the support of America, Jordan and others for defense). Almost 100% of the enemy projectiles were shot down. For the newcomers reading this, the conflict between Israel and Iran (the chief sponsor and source of terrorists in the Middle East) goes a long way back. The wicked regime of Iran (in power since 1979) made clear its intentions to not only destroy Israel but also other Western democracies/societies. Iran’s terrorist network also reached South America. In light of all of these, if you want truthful and accurate reports about Israel’s fight against the terrorists, rely on the content and updates of TBN Israel, CBN News, TravelingIsrael and the official Israel Defense Forces (IDF) channel. Watch the videos below and do not forget to pray to the Lord in support of Israel, the fall of their enemies, the rescue of the hostages and the peace of Jerusalem.

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I Love Israel: Israeli agricultural center and DILG sign memorandum of understanding (MOU) on food security solutions

April 18, 2024April 18, 2024carlocarrasco

As some of you are already aware, I fully stand with Israel which is directly connected with my uncompromising faith in the Lord. I keep on praying to Him for Israel to overwhelm its enemies, rescue the hostages and recover from the effects of the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks committed by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas. I can assure all of you that nobody from the evil Islamo-Leftist mob, nobody from the pro-Palestine zealots and nobody from any evil society would stop me from supporting and loving Israel.

Now, on with the news…

Recently here in the Philippines, memorandum of understanding (MOU) on food security solutions was signed by an Israeli agricultural center and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), according to an official announcement. The MOU signing was witnessed by Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the announcement published through the DILG’s website. Some parts in boldface…

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with an Israeli agricultural center aimed at providing intensive training and education to selected local agriculture students on modern food security solutions.

The MOU was signed by DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos and AgroStudies Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Yaron Tamir at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

In his speech, Abalos thanked the Israel Embassy and the AgroStudies for their friendship and partnership, as the agreement will significantly boost the attainment of Pres. Marcos Jr.’s vision of ensuring food security under the Bagong Pilipinas brand of governance.

Agrostudies is an international training center which provides a program for agricultural education to interns from developing countries around the world.

“We thank our partners for this continuous partnership of you transferring the technology and best practices to our Filipino farmers,” he said.

Abalos also thanked the partner national government agencies including the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Agriculture, National Security Council, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority for their equal commitment to pushing forth the said program.

The DILG Chief also cited the DILG’s Halina’t Magtanim ng Prutas at Gulay (HAPAG) Program, which complements the national government’s food security measures, and the KADIWA ng Pangulo program, which provides access to quality and safe food items at affordable prices.

Based on the MOU, the DILG will collaborate with LGUs in the selection of eligible students to participate in the 11-month AgroStudies program in Israel, focusing on various aspects of agriculture, including crop cultivation, livestock management, and agricultural technology.

Meanwhile, Tamir explained that the Philippines was the first partner country of Israel over the last 20 years, with some 8,000 Filipinos as scholars in this program, the largest among 15 partner -countries in the AgroStudies internship program.

“Our purpose is for the students and farmers to learn modern technologies in Israel and engage in businesses in the Philippines. I promise that as long as I am the CEO, the Philippines will have the highest quota,” Tamir said.

Posted below is a related news video…

The MOU signed is crucial because food security is a priority under the current government. We Filipinos should be very thankful that Israel – which is an established world leader on agriculture, farming, water and food development – was willing to be a strategic partner as there are over one hundred million people around the Philippines who need to be fed in the long term. Along the way, the Philippines has to keep working hard on boosting agricultural production, expanding the number of government-backed food stores, stabilizing prices of food and cracking down on those who smuggle and hoard agricultural goods.

We should also be thankful to the Lord that even as Israel remains busy fighting the terrorists not only in Gaza but also across the border with Lebanon (Hezbollah), the Jewish state and Israeli companies still value the Philippines as a key partner on economics and social development issues.

To my fellow Filipinos reading this, I encourage you to accept 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!

We live in a very divided world. Around the world, Leftist forces have been supporting evil forces like the current regime of Iran which is known for supplying and arming the Palestinian terrorists and other terrorist groups around the Middle East. Leftist forces have been supporting the Palestinian Authority and other enemies of Israel. The Leftists and terrorists always go together and their anti-Semitism is clearly obvious. Hamas is purely evil and they are being protected by not only their fellow terrorists but also by mainstream news media outlets who are linked with Leftist forces and people who hate Israel and the Jewish people. Beware of the evil union of the Islamo-Left which is wicked deep within.

With all that said, I encourage you all to pray to the Lord God in support of Israel and believe that He will guide the Israeli forces to another victory which means finishing off Hamas, crushing Hezbollah and forcing Iran and its terror proxies to give up. Read Joshua 11:1-20 in the Holy Bible for relevance and truth.

If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful, you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel and love the Jewish people no matter what. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your enlightenment.

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A Look Back at X-Men Adventures Season II #5 (1994)

April 10, 2024March 30, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s to explore the adaptation of the second season of the X-Men animated series in the form of the X-Men Adventures comic book series.

Before getting to the new retro comic book review, I should state that I visited Canada only once. Even before my one and only visit there, I knew through the comic books that famous character Wolverine is a native of Canada and a former member of Alpha Flight (Canadian government-sponsored team of mutant operatives). Somewhere in his past, he was live test subject of Weapon X. I have to mention this because the X-Men Adventures about to be reviewed here is focused on Wolverine.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men Adventures Season II #5, published in 1994 by Marvel with a story written by Ralph Macchio and drawn by John Hebert.

Early story

The story somewhere in the wilderness in Canada where Wolverine helps free an animal that was stuck. Suddenly, Alpha Flight’s Vindicator appears and reminds Wolverine of the fact that he deserted them to work of Charles Xavier. It turns out, Wolverine is back in Canada to visit Heather.

Moments later, he finds himself surrounded by Vindicator’s teammates Puck, Shaman and Sasquatch, and tells them that he is never coming back to Alpha Flight. Even though two more members of the Canadian team joined in, Wolverine manages to avoid defeat in battle and hides away.

As he listens to Alpha Flight from a distance, he hears Vindicator mentioning that a certain lab is expecting their team. This causes Wolverine to remember the traumatic time he had as a live test subject of Weapon X…

Quality

A look back at the time Wolverine joined the Canadian government-sponsored superhero team Alpha Flight. Would you want to join a unit serving the woke Canadian government of Justin Trudeau in real life?

I should mention first that the teleplay by the late Len Wein contains a very solid and sensible interpretation of Wolverine’s Weapon X origin (with a modern touch for the 1990s) which turned out to be a detailed reference for Ralph Macchio to adapt into this comic book.

That being said, this comic book’s plot of Wolverine going to Canada for a solid purpose and encountering challenges – both from his past with Alpha Flight and others – while bringing back his painful Weapon X past turned out to be a really engaging read. The Weapon X flashback scenes added a depth to the story as well as Wolverine’s portrayal in this adaptation. You will see the clawed X-Men member being tough and gritty as usual, and yet you will witness his fragile side as he becomes personally troubled about the past.

The appearance of Alpha Flight here was put to good use. Apart from the revelation of Wolverine’s past membership with them, you will see the team truly operate with a clear goal as mandated by their government (note: this is clearly not the ultra-woke, Islamo-Leftist government of Justin Trudeau). In fact, this tale gives readers a glimpse of how the Canadian government analyzes and decides what to do with Canadians who are very exceptional and are more valuable than many other citizens. Alpha Flight is the government’s tool which is strongly emphasized here.

Apart from the plot focused on Wolverine, this comic book managed to move the sub-plot of Magneto and Charles Xavier forward a bit.

Conclusion

X-Men Adventures Season II #5 (1994) has a very engaging and fun tale focused on Wolverine who encounters his fellow Canadians. Anyone who loves the clawed X-Men member will have a lot to enjoy here. The appearance of Alpha Flight here (as well as in the X-Men TAS episode) added a good layer of depth to the plot while also emphasizing the shared Marvel universe in a controlled manner. Lastly, artist John Hebert’s artwork on Wolverine is really good and his high level of visual detail on other characters and locations should be seen.

Overall, X-Men Adventures Season II #5 (1994) is recommended.

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