Author: Jouke Gaastra
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Sapiens: A Brilliant History with Some Debatable Claims
If you’ve spent any time around me lately, you’ve probably heard me talk about Yuval Noah Harari’s “Sapiens.” It’s a book that makes you look at humanity through an entirely different lens. While I found it brilliant overall, there are some points where I think Harari’s arguments could use a friendly challenge.
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EuroBonus Calculator: Find the Value of Your Points
Determining the value of your Eurobonus points can be tricky. Reward programs are made to give the impression that you are receiving a lot of value, even though this is often not the case. In this post, you will find a calculator to quickly and easily determine the value of your points.
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Exploring Data Analysis with R on Coursera: A Personal Review
Coursera provides a low-risk, high-quality learning environment. The free trial period offers a perfect opportunity to test the waters before committing time and resources to a full program
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Finding Value in Bluntness: A Review Of “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck”
You know those moments when someone tells you something you kind of already knew, but somehow hearing it from them makes it click differently? That’s pretty much my experience with Mark Manson’s “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck.” The book starts with what feels like unnecessary shock value. Manson comes in hot with…
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Thinking Fast and Slow: Where Psychology Meets Risk Management
During my Master’s in Risk Analysis, Daniel Kahneman’s “Thinking, Fast and Slow” was on the recommended reading list. I was surprised, as it is more of a ‘popular’ book than a textbook. But I was also pleased that it was on there. It had been on my reading list for quite some time, and now…
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The Best Deals for Audiobooks: Spotify, Audible, and Storytel Compared
Recently, Spotify started offering audiobooks in the EU. This got me into reading audiobooks. Pretty soon, I was through my 15-hour monthly limit. And this made me wonder. What is the best platform for audiobooks?
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Bank Norwegian Visa Credit Card Review
A friend of mine recently got a Norwegian Visa Credit Card, and I thought I’d share her experience to help you decide if it’s the right fit for you. Here’s what she had to say about it:
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Visual Risk Communication: How Bowtie Diagrams Improve Understanding
Contemporary risks have become more complex, making risk communication more challenging and crucial. This complexity often involves a variety of different stakeholders with their own unique perceptions, understanding and prepositions. Therefore, it is important to employ different risk communication methods to explain these effectively.
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RIS-650 Enterprise Risk Exam 2024 Questions and Answers
My answers to the 2024 Enterprise Risk exam are in the PDF below. I got a C on it. Exam questions: Task 1: 1. How can subjective probabilities be used in enterprise risk assessments, and how does this impact the process and communication of results? 2. J.P. Hansson suggests a risk concept using (C, Pf),…
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Reflections on the Third Semester Risk Analysis UIS 2024
The third semester has ended, so it is time to look back and evaluate what was good, what was bad, and what was ugly about the third semester Risk Analysis, Governance track at UIS. AS-302 Arctic Safety at the UNIS It was a great experience, and I am very glad I went on this program.…
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Flying Cheap Doesn’t Mean Flying Miserable: My 9 Tips
As a Dutchy, I love finding the best deals. I’ll happily dig through websites and make a few sacrifices to save a buck. Over the years, I’ve picked up some tips for making budget travel work, and I’m sharing them with you today.
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RIS-650 Enterprise Risk Management Flashcards
Enterprise Risk Management is the only course I’m taking this third semester at UIS Risk Analysis (Governance track) with a written exam. The course literature consists of ERM fundamentals and information security. Below is an exam summary of the course literature in flashcards.
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Staying Productive and Inspired in Norway’s Autumn Blues
November is probably the worst time to visit the Norwegian West Coast. It gets dark early, there isn’t any snow yet, and when the sun finally rises, it will be hidden behind clouds. Here are the things I do to stay productive and motivated. Planning aheadAutumn isn’t very inspiring and motivating, but it is good…
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Review, Fjordline from Stavanger to Bergen
The original plan was to head to a cabin in Stavanger’s mountains this weekend. But we quickly learned that practically none of the DNT cabins are accessible by public transport, so we decided to take the Fjordline ferry to Bergen instead. I’ve been to Bergen before, but only once—and I was around 10. I remember…
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Selecting a Risk Assessment Method for Reputational Risk Management
Reputational risk is complex and often intangible, making it challenging to identify and assess using traditional methods. This complexity necessitates risk identification techniques that can capture uncertainties and provide a comprehensive understanding of potential threats.
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Review Kristiansand to Hirtshals with Fjord Line FSTR
Last summer I took the ferry from Kristiansand to Hirthals. I thought it would be a good moment to revisit the experience, as I’m looking at travel options to and from the European mainland. All in all, I very much liked the trip. The ferry is quick (2 hours 25 min) and comfortable. The lounge…
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Food and Drink I Miss About the Netherlands (And Always Bring Back to Norway)
Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of Norwegian products I like. But there are also quite a few things that I miss from the Netherlands. Here are the five things that I will try to stuff in my suitcase or carboot when travelling back. 1. Cheese 2. Dutch Pilsner and Craft Beer 4.…
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Preikestolen in Wintertime
Yes, October might seem a bit early to discuss winter trips, but this one is worth planning far ahead. Preikestolen is always a beautiful hike, but in wintertime, it might even be better than in summertime. The view looks even more magical with the snow-covered mountains, and you will likely be on the plateau all…
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Best Norwegian Credit Card for Flight Bonusess
Until recently, I relied on my American Express (Amex) for credit card travel bonuses. However, Avinor has cancelled lounge access to Amex cardholders whose cards are not connected to Norwegian banks. While I got some compensation for the missed benefit, it’s clear that my Amex card is no longer providing the value it once did,…
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The Best Ways to Get Around Stavanger
After living and travelling around Stavanger and its surroundings for about a year and a half, I thought it’d be a good time to share my thoughts on getting around in this part of Norway.