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Sport News

March 1, 2026
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Michigan State University | Ingham County

Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Skiing Association

College Bowl Games

Fernando Mendoza’s post game interview after winning the Big Ten
byu/justletmeregisteryou insports

 

 

 



Michigan Girl, Our Michigan Girl….

Sport Standards

 

 

Mixed Gender Sport by Design

Engineering in Sport



“Rowing is more poetry than sport.” — George Pocock (‘Boys in the Boat’ 2024), a British-born boat builder, rowing coach, and influential figure in American rowing, best known for his craftsmanship of racing shells and his philosophical approach to the sport.

Winter Sport

“There is no greater glory for a man than that which he wins with his own hands and feet.” (Homer, Iliad c. 8th Century BCE)

Accepted Good Practice

March 1, 2026
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Defining “accepted good practice” (or closely related terms like “good engineering practice,” “recognized and generally accepted good engineering practice” (RAGAGEP), or “accepted good practice for the given local conditions”) in electrical engineering standards is inherently challenging. Standards bodies (e.g., IEEE/NESC, NFPA/NEC, IEC, UL) often use these phrases as a flexible benchmark for safety, design, installation, and maintenance when specific rules do not apply, or as the foundation for the standards themselves.

Here are some of the particular problems that arise in trying to define and apply it consistently:Subjectivity and ambiguity in the definition: The term is rarely defined with precision in codes. It relies on professional judgment, expert consensus, and “what is generally accepted” at a given time, which can lead to disputes among engineers, authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs), regulators, or courts. For example, NESC Rule 012 (and similar clauses) explicitly falls back to “accepted good practice for the given local conditions” for any situation not specifically covered, creating a circular or open-ended reference point.

Rapid technological evolution outpacing standards: Electrical engineering advances quickly (e.g., widespread EVs, renewables integration, smart grids, arc-flash mitigation, or digital protection systems), but consensus-based standards update slowly (often on 3–6 year cycles). New techniques may not yet be “accepted,” while legacy practices embedded in older equipment can become obsolete or non-compliant under current interpretations, even if they met the standard at the time of installation.

Jurisdictional, regional, and international variations: What counts as good practice differs across borders or even within a country (e.g., NEC for building interiors vs. NESC for utility supply/communications lines; ANSI/NFPA vs. IEC). Local conditions (climate, soil, usage patterns) are explicitly factored in, making a universal definition impractical and leading to harmonization difficulties in global supply chains or cross-border projects.

Consensus development process limitations: Standards are created by committees representing utilities, manufacturers, regulators, and users, which can result in compromises, delays, or exclusion of innovative (but not yet widespread) practices. This process itself defines “accepted” practice, but it may lag behind actual field innovations or favor minimum requirements over optimal ones.

Conflicts between overlapping or hierarchical sources: Engineers must navigate multiple layers—mandatory codes (NEC/NESC), recommended practices (IEEE “Color Books”), manufacturer guidelines, internal utility standards, and non-consensus documents. Deciding which takes precedence, or whether a practice must be “recognized” (widely adopted) versus merely “good,” creates practical confusion. “Shall” (mandatory) vs. “should” (recommended) language adds further interpretive gray areas.

Legal, liability, and enforcement challenges: In regulatory audits, incident investigations, or product-liability cases, proving (or disproving) adherence to an ill-defined standard can be difficult. OSHA, for instance, treats RAGAGEP as a performance-based benchmark in process safety, but determining it for older equipment or non-consensus practices requires case-by-case analysis. This is compounded by the fact that codes are often minimum requirements, not necessarily “best” practice.

Trade-offs between safety, cost, reliability, and innovation: Good practice must balance competing priorities (e.g., selective coordination for emergency systems vs. arc-flash hazards, or added costs for enhanced grounding/EMI protection). Defining it objectively is hard when economic or practical constraints vary by project.

While phrases like “accepted good practice” provide essential flexibility in electrical standards, their vagueness, dependence on context, and the dynamic nature of the field make them difficult to pin down uniformly. Practitioners typically resolve this through engineering judgment, reference to interpretations (e.g., IEEE NESC interpretations), peer review, or consultation with AHJs.

 

Bucolia 400

March 1, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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The Lake Isle of Innisfree

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.
And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet’s wings.
I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,

I hear it in the deep heart’s core.

— William Butler Yeats

Anglo-americká vysoká škola, z.ú. Czech Republic

Today we walk through literature governing the safety and sustainability of the open space features of education community estates.   Unlike the titles for the building envelope, which are known to most design professionals and contractors, the standards for grounds and landscaping are widely scattered; many of them occupational safety related; created, administered and enforced by units of government.

Bucolia 100.  We present a broad overview of the dominant standards catalogs incorporated by reference into public safety and sustainability legislation.

Bucolia 200.  We drill into technical specifics of the titles in Bucolia 100.

Bucolia 400.  We pick through case studies in landscape, garden, tree and water literature.  We also track titles about the reclamation of building roofs for permeable surfaces and gardens.

Smart Garden Watering and Lighting System Integrated with Machine Learning Model to Maintain Urban Gardens

During the winter months (Bucolia 200) in the northern hemisphere we include snow and ice management; while covering summer month technologies for southern hemisphere (and vice-versa).  Snowfalls in the southern hemisphere are mainly contained to the highlands and mountain ranges, which are almost exclusively in Victoria and Southern New South Wales, as well as the mountains in Tasmania.   Winter does not pose as much of a cost burden to education facilities in the southern hemisphere as it does in the northern hemisphere.

Landscape standards refer to guidelines or regulations that specify the requirements for the design, installation, and maintenance of outdoor spaces such as parks, gardens, streetscapes, and public spaces. Landscape standards typically cover various aspects of landscape design, including vegetation selection, planting arrangements, irrigation systems, hardscape materials, and lighting.

These standards may be set by government agencies at the federal, state, or local level, or by professional organizations such as the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). Landscape standards aim to ensure that outdoor spaces are safe, functional, and aesthetically pleasing while also promoting sustainability and environmental protection.

Landscape standards may also address issues such as accessibility for people with disabilities, water conservation, stormwater management, and erosion control. They may vary depending on the specific location, climate, and intended use of the outdoor space. Compliance with landscape standards may be required for approval of development projects, public funding, or other permits.

We track the standards catalog of two ANSI-accredited standards developers:

American Hort

Tree Care Industry Association

Additional practice titles applicable to accessory systems:

ASABE/ICC 802 Landscape Irrigation Sprinkler and Emitter Standard 

ASHRAE 90.1 Energy Standard for Sites and Buildings

Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

National Electrical Code: Article 411 Low-Voltage Lighting

Upcode Article 411

National Electrical Code: Article 225: Outside Branch Circuits and Feeders

Illumination Engineering Society (Lighting Library)

Land F/X: Landscape Lighting, Codes, Guidelines and Techniques  

OSHA Landscape and Horticultural Services

Sports Turf Managers Association

As a cross-cutting subjectSports Turf Managers Association ( involving soil and water and sun many other standards developers, and all levels of government, produce best practice literature for today’s topic.  We’ll have a look at what’s moving among those.

To join us use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

"It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart." -- Rainer Maria Rilke

Recent Research:

Smart Garden Watering and Lighting System Integrated with Machine Learning Model to Maintain Urban Gardens

The “Sugaring” Season

March 1, 2026
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Standards Vermont

Vermont is the largest producer of maple syrup in the United States, and the maple syrup industry is an important part of the state’s economy and culture. Vermont maple syrup is renowned for its high quality and distinctive flavor, and many people around the world seek out Vermont maple syrup specifically.

The maple syrup industry in Vermont is primarily made up of small-scale family farms, where maple sap is collected from sugar maple trees in early spring using a process called “sugaring.” The sap is then boiled down to produce pure maple syrup, which is graded according to its color and flavor. Vermont maple syrup is graded on a scale from Grade A (lighter in color and milder in flavor) to Grade B (darker in color and more robust in flavor).

The Vermont maple syrup industry is heavily regulated to ensure quality and safety, and the state has strict standards for labeling and grading maple syrup. In addition to pure maple syrup, many Vermont maple producers also make maple candy, maple cream, and other maple products.

University of Vermont Facilities Management

Vermont

Rifle

March 1, 2026
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NCAA Rife Home

Gun Control and the American Spirit of Independence

The Second Amendment is not merely about guns — it is the constitutional bedrock of individual sovereignty that makes America’s world-class universities possible.  Not “The Collective” not “The Party”; the Individual.  The larger part of US education industry today never learned this in their own schooling or willfully ignore it to “get along” with the partisans of large government who enjoy a fairly comfortable life administering public policy.

In nations where firearms are banned — nations that send their young people to American universities to acquire an American university “cattlebrand” — those national governments centralize power in the name of “safety,” gradually expanding control over speech, education, and opportunity.

America’s founders rejected that path. They understood that an armed citizenry deters tyranny: if the state cannot disarm the people, it cannot easily silence them, confiscate their property, or dictate what professors may teach or what students may debate.

The Second Amendment protects the First Amendment

This single right reinforced every other liberty in the Bill of Rights. It helped create a culture of self-reliance and limited government that unleashed unprecedented innovation and wealth. That wealth built — and continues to sustain — the research labs, libraries, scholarships, and merit-based admissions that drew you here. Harvard, MIT, Stanford, and hundreds of others flourish precisely because they operate in a society where individuals — not the state — hold ultimate power. Academic freedom, open inquiry, and global talent pipelines exist because the government fears overstepping a free people that are guaranteed, by law, the hardware to shoot back at it.

Admittedly, and far more frequently than is tolerable, educational settlements pay a very, very heavy price for this right.  Educational settlements should originate at the family kitchen table.  

Your student visas, cutting-edge classes, and future careers in a dynamic economy are the downstream benefits of that same founding principle. Without the Second Amendment’s guarantee of an armed, empowered populace, the United States would likely resemble the more regulated societies you left behind — offering fewer breakthroughs and fewer seats for ambitious international students like you.

In short, the right to bear arms helped secure the liberty that funds your American dream of an American education on your resume.

Winslow Homer, “The Army of the Potomac–A Sharp-Shooter on Picket Duty” 1862

NCAA Rifle Competition began in 1980 and features both men’s and women’s teams competing together. The competition includes smallbore and air rifle events, with each athlete shooting in both disciplines.

The two primary events are smallbore rifle (also known as .22 caliber) and air rifle (using a .177 caliber air gun). Competitions typically involve both individual and team scoring, with athletes shooting a series of targets from different distances and positions.

Several U.S. colleges and universities have competitive rifle teams that participate in NCAA rifle competitions. Some of the notable institutions include:

  1. University of Alaska Fairbanks
  2. West Virginia University
  3. University of Kentucky
  4. Texas Christian University (TCU)
  5. University of Nebraska-Lincoln
  6. Murray State University
  7. Ohio State University
  8. University of Akron
  9. United States Military Academy (Army)
  10. University of Memphis
  11. North Carolina State University
  12. Jacksonville State University
  13. Morehead State University
  14. University of Mississippi (Ole Miss)
  15. U.S. Naval Academy (Navy)

The NCAA rifle competition serves as a pipeline for athletes aiming to compete in international events, including the Olympics where it was part of the inaugural modern Olympics in 1896.  Rifle events scheduled for the 2024 Olympics include:

  • 10m Air Rifle (Men and Women): Athletes will shoot from a standing position using a .177 caliber air rifle at a distance of 10 meters.
  • 50m Rifle Three Positions (Men and Women): Competitors will shoot from kneeling, prone, and standing positions using a .22 caliber smallbore rifle at a distance of 50 meters.
  • Mixed Team 10m Air Rifle: Teams composed of one male and one female shooter will compete together in the 10m air rifle event.

West Point Military Academy New York

University of Kentucky | Fayette County

 

Delta Upsilon Fraternity House (1331 Hill Street)

February 28, 2026
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University Ave Pizza

February 28, 2026
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Standards North Dakota

North Dakota

While there isn’t a universally standardized pizza that everyone agrees upon, certain types of pizza have become iconic and widely recognized. Some of these include:

Margherita Pizza: This classic pizza features tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and a drizzle of olive oil. It’s named after Queen Margherita of Italy.

Pepperoni Pizza: Topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and slices of pepperoni (a cured pork and beef sausage).

Margarita Pizza: Similar to the Margherita, but without the basil. It typically has tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and sometimes a drizzle of olive oil.

Neapolitan Pizza: This style originated in Naples, Italy. It has a thin, soft, and chewy crust with simple and fresh ingredients like San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, fresh basil, and olive oil.

New York Style Pizza: Characterized by its large, foldable slices with a thin and flexible crust. It’s often topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.

Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza: Known for its thick crust, this pizza has layers of cheese, toppings, and tomato sauce. It’s baked in a deep pan, resulting in a substantial and hearty pizza.

Sicilian Pizza: Square-shaped and thick-crusted, Sicilian pizza is often topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and various toppings.

California Pizza: Often associated with innovative and non-traditional toppings, California-style pizza might include ingredients like barbecue chicken, goat cheese, arugula, and more.

North Dakota doesn’t have one iconic, universally recognized “official” pizza style that the whole country talks about. The state is more known for hearty, loaded, comfort-food pizzas that reflect Midwestern tastes — generous toppings, practical portions, and creative local twists. Pizza here often leans toward heavily topped pies (think “the more toppings, the better”), with locals frequently praising places that pile on ingredients rather than keeping things minimalist.

Overall, North Dakota pizza is more about satisfying, no-fuss, topping-heavy eats that pair perfectly with cold winters than about rigid “style” rules.

Form 4547

February 28, 2026
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“Catch Me If You Can”

February 28, 2026
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https://standardsmichigan.com/radio/

5G Small Cells

February 27, 2026
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Today at the usual hour we examine the codes and standards that inform the deployment of distributed antenna systems for private 5G networks. While not every campus has full small cell density yet (deployment is ongoing and varies by size/location), it’s increasingly common on major ones to support “smart campus” initiatives and handle peak loads during athletic events such as football stadiums we know rather well.

Federal Regulations (Primarily FCC)

  • FCC Small Cell Order (FCC 18-133, 2018, with ongoing updates/clarifications through 2025): Defines “small wireless facilities” (e.g., antennas ≤3 cubic feet, equipment ≤28 cubic feet total, structures ≤50 feet or limited height increases). Establishes “shot clocks” (presumptive review timelines: 60 days for collocations on existing structures, 90 days for new builds). Limits state/local fees (presumptive caps: ~$500 one-time, ~$270 annual recurring, unless justified by actual costs). Prohibits regulations that “prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting” service under Sections 253 and 332(c)(7) of the Communications Act. Allows reasonable, objective, published aesthetic requirements if no more burdensome than for other infrastructure.
  • FCC RF Exposure Limits (updated 2019–2020, reaffirmed in recent proceedings): Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE) guidelines for general public (e.g., ~580–1,000 µW/cm² depending on frequency) and occupational limits. All small cells must comply; local governments are preempted from regulating based on RF health/environmental effects if compliant. Requires RF compliance reports/certification in applications.
  • NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) and NHPA (National Historic Preservation Act) Streamlining: FCC has categorical exclusions/exemptions for many small cell deployments to speed environmental and historic reviews.
  • Section 6409(a) of the Spectrum Act (2012, codified at 47 U.S.C. § 1455(a)): Mandates approval of collocation/modification requests on existing structures unless it substantially changes physical dimensions (with clarifications on concealment elements).

Electrical and Safety Codes

  • National Electrical Code (NEC, NFPA 70): Applies to wiring, grounding, power distribution, surge protection, and service equipment for small cell installations (e.g., power supplies, rectifiers, enclosures). Often referenced for Class 2/Class 4 power systems in remote powering setups.
  • National Electrical Safety Code (NESC): Governs utility pole attachments, clearances, climbing space, and overhead/underground installations (critical for pole-mounted small cells).

Structural and Engineering Standards

  • ANSI/TIA-222 (Structural Standard for Antenna Supporting Structures, Antennas, and Small Auxiliary Structures, latest revisions e.g., -H or -I): Primary standard for structural design, wind/ice loading, risk categorization (often Risk Category I or II for small cells), foundation, and mounting on poles/towers. Used for pole modifications, new small cell poles, and load calculations.
  • International Building Code (IBC) / ASCE 7: Often cross-referenced with TIA-222 for seismic, wind, and load requirements in structural reviews.
  • AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) standards: For attachments near roadways or on traffic poles.

Other Relevant Standards and Guidelines

  • 3GPP Technical Specifications: For 5G NR (New Radio) air interface, equipment interoperability, and performance (e.g., Release 15+ for standalone 5G).
  • Small Cell Forum Documents: Industry best practices (e.g., definitions, siting considerations, product specs), though not mandatory codes.
  • State-Specific Small Cell Laws: Many states (e.g., Utah, Texas, California, Colorado) have statutes streamlining permitting, capping fees, setting ROW access rules, and aligning with FCC preemption (e.g., Texas Chapter 284, Utah Small Wireless Facilities Deployment Act).
  • Local Design/Aesthetic Guidelines: Cities (e.g., Denver, San José, Salt Lake City) adopt standards for concealment, placement, height, materials, and integration (must be reasonable/objective per FCC to avoid preemption).

Related:

Telecommunications Service Point

 

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