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in Analysis
Hard Currency Stores in Socialism
I imagine a lot of people checking this article won’t really know what’s meant by hard currency stores. What, like a place where you can’t use your bank card? No, no, it’s more fundamental than that! You see, in socialist countries, it’s pretty common for currency to be centrally managed. That’s why the state can […] More
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in Asia, Analysis, Destinations
Northern Alliance: The Anti-Taliban Resistance
So my old article got outdated pretty damn quick. I anticipated the Taliban getting into government in some form, but it looks like everything just got steamrolled. Ah well. While I’ve clearly demonstrated I’m terrible at seeing into the future, we can at least look to the past to maybe get a few hints of […] More
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in Americas, Analysis, Destinations
Zapatistas: Anarchist Revolution in Mexico
Before we get to the Zapatistas, let’s talk about Mexico. Sunny and beautiful Mexico. There’s certain images that may come to mind when you think of it. Maybe you’re seeing the endless expanses of rugged desert dotted with cacti and animal skulls or maybe you’re thinking of a bright and cheerful mariachi band. You may […] More
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Eurasianism: Geopolitical Conspiracy or Liberating Ideology?
If you’re a fan of looking into fringe ideas, you may be familiar with the National Bolshevik Party or names such as Alexander Dugin or Eduard Limonov. If not, maybe you’ve heard about them in conspiracy circles. Yes, conspiracies, we’ve all looked into them, but what if you have a political ideology that’s based on […] More
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in Analysis
A Look at the Fascinating “Gun Walk” of Vladimir Putin
When it comes to the President of the Russian Federation, there are a few things that spring to mind when we hear his name. The epitome of an alpha male, photoshopped images of him riding a bear, or political violence. However, one of the lesser talked about aspects of Vladimir Putin is his gun walk. […] More
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in Analysis
Aló Presidente
Have you ever heard of the fireside chats? Y’know, those radio addresses FDR gave to the Americans in the 30s and 40s. Particularly before the era of widespread live media broadcasting for anything and everything a political figure says, it was pretty revolutionary. All of a sudden the nation’s leader wasn’t miles away, behind massive […] More
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in Analysis
IN MEMORIUM: LIETENANT GENERAL ION PACEPA, FORMER INTELLIGENCE CHEIF FOR ROMANIAN DICTATOR NICOLAE CEAUŞESCU TURNED DEFECTOR AUTHOR
Lt. General Ion Pacepa passed away on February 14, 2021 at age 92. Pacepa is best known as the author of Red Horizons, a damning exposé on Romanian President and communist dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu, published following Pacepa’s defection to the West in 1978. Of Transylvanian descent, Pacepa was born in 1928 and raised in Bucharest. […] More
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in Africa, Analysis, Destinations
From Colonialism to KGB – The Soviets in Africa
When we talk about the Cold War, we automatically imagine the USSR and the U.S. fighting over who is better. What we often forget or simply not aware of is what was going on behind the curtains. One piece of history that is still rather neglected is the Soviet Union’s ties with African countries during […] More
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in Analysis, Africa, Americas, Antarctica, Asia, Destinations, Europe, News, Opinion, Pacific, Podcasts
What is YPT Life?
YPT Life you say? If you’ve stumbled on this page then I will assume that you might be wondering what this site is all about! In which case we shall happily try explain. Things are a changing Lock-down has proved difficult for most of us, with those of us in the travel industry being particularly […] More
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Whatever you do in North Korea, DON’T hurt yourself
Welcome to the first instalment of a new series I’ve coined “whatever you do in North Korea”, where I talk about my very own odd, painful, or hilarious experiences I’ve gone through whilst in North Korea. I’d like to officially kick this off with whatever you do in North Korea, DON’T hurt yourself! Let’s begin! […] More
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in Analysis
The Cargo Cult of John Frum
Imagine a scenario where you arrive on a desolate island and you are perceived as a god. Now imagine you are a ship full of sailors and a religion is formed around your divine connections. I kid you not, there’s a tradition that continues to this day that is based on this unique scenario—call it […] More
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SPREADING THE RAYS OF JUCHE: FIVE NORTH KOREAN FILMS YOU MUST-SEE (Part 1)
PART ONE: A BRIEF HISTORY OF NORTH KOREAN CINEMA “THE GENUINE MISSION OF FILM ART IS TO TEACH THE PEOPLE THE TRUTH OF LIFE AND ILLUMINATE THE ROAD OF STRUGGLE FOR THEM.” – KIM IL SUNG Most examinations of North Korean cinema and North Korean films feature supercilious critiques which often resort to mockery as […] More