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[review] Book Review: Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism: Cults, MLMs, and Network Marketing
After researching manipulation techniques (and marketing inspired by manipulation), Reddit generously recommended the book Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism. This book is an attempt by a linguist to explain how cults (and MLMs/Ponzi schemes) manage to attract so many people.The book is only available in English, so here’s a quick summary for non-English speakers. According to the author, cult victims are not victims of brainwashing. There is no “brainwashing”: they are victims of manipulation, conditioning, coercion… but in reality, you can’t make someone believe something fundamentally different from what they want to believe. For example, the victims of Heaven’s Gate truly believed in the existence of UFOs and aliens. This…
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MondialCare Travel Insurance: Review + Promo Code
A 10% promo code will be applied to your MondialCare quote when clicking this link. Why get insured when traveling? There are many insurance options available to cover expenses related to flight delays, lost luggage, theft or phone damage, etc… While these situations are unpleasant, they are manageable and it is not always necessary to take out insurance for these events. However, it is important to plan for the most serious situations, such as a scooter accident requiring emergency surgery or repatriation. These costs can amount to tens of thousands of euros and in some countries, you have to pay before receiving care. It’s not pleasant to think about when…
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Adult Acne: How I got rid of it. Before/After Photos (The Ordinary, Mario Badescu, SkinCeuticals, Uriage, Benton, Drunk Elephant, COSRX, Rosette)
Stumbling upon old photos of myself, I realized my skin has literally transformed. Even during my period, I no longer get hormonal breakouts. I never thought that day would come, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it stays this way. If you’re on the brink of despair like I was a few years ago, here are some leads that might possibly help you. Before, during my teenage years, I had breakouts concentrated on my T-zone. My cheeks were spared. After dealing with it for about ten years, I went to see a dermatologist who wanted to prescribe Roaccutane, which I refused. Instead, I got 3 months of antibiotics –…
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Round-the-world travel insurance: how much it costs in 2026
When planning a round-the-world trip, you shouldn’t overlook the insurance budget. Let’s see why insurance is a must-have, with a comparison of the different options available. Why get insured on a round-the-world trip? There are countless insurance policies that offer to cover your expenses in case of flight delays, lost luggage, theft, or a broken phone, … While these events are unfortunate, they’re manageable. I tend not to pay for insurance for that. What you need to plan for is the worst-case scenario: you crash a scooter in Bali and need emergency surgery or a medical evacuation. In many cases, that’ll run you tens of thousands of euros. And in…
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Fabric printing techniques
I put together a mini guide on fabric printing techniques on Instagram and I wanted to keep a record of it on the blog because it’s a really interesting topic. I’m not a fabric collector, but this topic has stuck with me for several years. I have to say that I visit a lot ofartisan workshops during my travels, and I’m a DIY enthusiast (do it yourself), so I have a lot of knowledge in this area. I really enjoyed my visit to the Museum of Printed Textiles in Mulhouse, which I told you about here. Dyeing The very first technique, and we’re not talking about patterns yet, is dyeing.…
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2021 and 2022 review – after 6.5 years of round-the-world travel
I only realize in 2023 that I completely forgot to write my 2021 review. So I’ll combine the two reviews into one (2021 and 2022), even though these years couldn’t be more different. 2021 2022 In short, 2022 was one of the hardest years I’ve ever known. But I’m taking it well. JB is still here with me, Rosalie passed away peacefully, and I’ve become an aunt. Honestly. The years 2022, 2023, and 2024 are transitional years, they are and will be difficult but that’s how great progress and change happen. Without a bit of hardship and hope, we’d never be pushed to change. Anyway, despite the difficulties, having knowledge…
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What to do in Syracuse (Italy) in one day? Syracuse on Foot – Sicily Trip #1 (Italy)
We leave Valletta (Malta) bright and early and arrive in Pozzallo (Sicily) by ferry. I’ve been a bit off lately, so the trip planning is a bit botched. I should have opted for the €10 transport offered by the ferry company to get to Catania by bus, and from there, do a day trip to Syracuse. On the one hand, because there are more affordable hotels in Catania, and on the other, because it would have cost us less. But what’s done is done. Between Pozzallo and Syracuse, we simply paid for a shared taxi, €70 (two people with luggage) because the train times didn’t suit us. Part 1: Travel…
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Loire Castles: Amboise, Azay-le-Rideau, Ussé (France)
It’s very rare for me to take complete vacations. Since I work part-time, I theoretically have time to recover the rest of the week (even if in 2022, that wasn’t really the case). But the fatigue that’s been building up for a long time is starting to take its toll, and we’re taking advantage of a week off to rest and a long weekend to visit some Loire castles I’ve always wanted to discover. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Remember, we visited a few before our round-the-world trip and during our 2020 road trip in France, but I saved the best for 2022. I’m…
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[Transport] Pozzallo – Syracuse by train or taxi (fares)
Arriving in Pozzallo, Sicily from Malta by ferry, we had planned to reach Syracuse by train. We had booked our tickets online, on the Trenitalia France app. The app is very user-friendly, in French, a far cry from SNCF standards 😀 There are usually three trains a day. Fares are very affordable (€6.80 per person) and the journey takes about 1h10. An unexpected event prevented us from catching the 8:57 am train we had booked. Since the next train was at 3:06 pm and we wanted to make the most of Syracuse, where we were only staying for the day, we asked our hotel receptionist to contact a taxi service…
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Our Malta – Sicily ferry trip: Valletta – Pozzallo
It was only when we were in Malta that we realized how close the Italian island of Sicily was. So we decided that would be our next stop! It’s actually possible to get there by boat. I don’t know if it’s the only company, but we went with Virtu Ferries. They offer routes connecting Valletta to Pozzallo. On weekdays, there are two crossings a day: one early in the morning and one in the late afternoon. On weekends, it’s only in the morning. We left on a Friday, departing at 7:30 am. The journey takes 1 hour 45 minutes. The tickets cost us €61 per person; we bought them online.…
