Tag Archives: Netherlands

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Ice Swimming

January 1st is Polar Bear Plunge Day in the Great Lakes.  It is also popular among the young in other “watery” universities around the world.

2023 St. Clair College Polar Bear Plunge

Polar Plunge at the University of Michigan

Pleasures and Hazards

Pleasures:

  1. Increased adrenaline rush: Cold water swimming can produce a surge of adrenaline in the body, which can make you feel more energized and alert.
  2. Improved mood: Cold water swimming has been associated with an increased release of endorphins, which can elevate your mood and reduce stress levels.
  3. Improved immune function: Cold water swimming has been shown to improve immune function, possibly due to the stress response induced by the cold water.
  4. Sense of accomplishment: Many people find ice swimming to be a challenging and rewarding experience, providing a sense of accomplishment and pride.
  5. Social bonding: Ice swimming can be a social activity, with groups of people coming together to share the experience and support each other.

Hazards:

  1. Hypothermia: Prolonged exposure to cold water can cause hypothermia, which can be life-threatening if left untreated.
  2. Cold shock response: Entering cold water can cause an involuntary gasp reflex, which can lead to drowning if it occurs while the head is underwater.
  3. Heart problems: Cold water swimming can put a strain on the heart and increase the risk of heart attack or stroke in people with underlying cardiovascular disease.
  4. Frostbite: Exposed skin can become frostbitten in cold water, particularly in extremities such as the fingers and toes.
  5. Injury from slipping or falling: Ice swimming can be hazardous if proper safety precautions are not taken, such as wearing appropriate footwear and using a rope or ladder to enter and exit the water.

 

College Polar Bear Plunges

2023 St. Clair College Polar Bear Plunge

Polar Plunge at the University of Michigan

Stamppot

Stamppot is a Dutch comfort food known for its simplicity and versatility. It combines mashed potatoes with various vegetables, typically leafy greens like kale (boerenkool), endive (andijvie), or sauerkraut (zuurkool), and often includes bacon or sausage.

The name “stamppot” comes from the Dutch words “stampen” (to mash) and “pot” (pot). The dish is prepared by mashing the boiled potatoes and vegetables together in a single pot. The result is a  slightly chunky mixture of mashed potatoes and vegetables.

There are many variations of stamppot, depending on the vegetables used. The most common types include boerenkool stamppot (kale stamppot), andijvie stamppot (endive stamppot), and zuurkool stamppot (sauerkraut stamppot). Each variation has its own distinct flavor and texture.

Stamppot runs deep in the Netherlands and is considered a staple of Dutch cuisine. It’s a dish that brings people together, especially during the traditional “Hutspot Day” (Hutspotfeest) celebrations in some regions.

 

Related: Dutch Student Stew

“Dutch Student Stew” also known as “Hutspot” in Dutch. It’s a traditional Dutch dish that consists of mashed potatoes, carrots, and onions, often flavored with salt, pepper, and sometimes bacon. It’s a hearty and simple comfort food that has been popular in the Netherlands for many years. The name “Dutch Student Stew” might be a colloquial or humorous reference to the fact that it’s an easy and inexpensive dish to prepare, making it suitable for students or anyone on a budget.

Nederland

Milk

The Cow

The friendly cow all red and white,
I love with all my heart:
She gives me cream with all her might,
To eat with apple-tart.

She wanders lowing here and there,
And yet she cannot stray,
All in the pleasant open air,
The pleasant light of day;

And blown by all the winds that pass
And wet with all the showers,
She walks among the meadow grass
And eats the meadow flowers.

Robert Louis Stevenson

 

“De Jonge Stier” 1647 Paulus Potter

Dairy milk products remain a vital part of global food supply.  Since 1970 an ISO Technical Subcommittee —  ISO/TC 34/SC 5 Milk and milk products — seeks globally effective standardization solutions in the methods of analysis and sampling for milk and milk products, covering the dairy chain from primary production to consumption.   The business plan of its parent committee is linked below:

BUSINESS PLAN ISO/TC 34 FOOD PRODUCTS

The Stichting Koninklijk Nederlands Normalisatie Instituut is the Global Secretariat for TC34/SC5.  Participating and Observing nations are shown on the map below:

 

The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers is the US Technical Advisory Group Administrator to the parent TC34 committee but ANSI does not have a Technical Advisory Group leader.  As the U.S. member body to the ISO,  ANSI is always on the hunt for its members and/or relevant stakeholders to participate in discovering standardization solutions in a broad range of technologies and markets with like-minded experts in other national standards bodies.  The full sweep of ANSI’s participation in consensus documents developed by the ISO is described in the link below:

ISO Programs – Overview

This committee has functioned since 1970 — long enough for many of the best practice titles it produces to have stabilized.   There is other market action in the global dairy supply — notably the growth of non-dairy food supply — but we find no public consultations open on proposed standardization solutions as of this posting.  When they are released they will appear in the link below:

ISO Standards Under Development 

Ontario Veterinary College

Land grant colleges and universities are likely stakeholders in this domain.  Apart from the passion that young people have for fair trade in any market, we see this as an opportunity for faculty and students to gain insight into the geo-politics of food supply generally and the subtleties of coffee markets.   Business schools, agricultural colleges, international studies program developers who may be, and should be, interested in a leadership opportunity on behalf of the United States should communicate directly with ANSI’s ISO Team ((isot@ansi.org).

Sunday, Animal, Farm, Agri

We devote at least an hour every month breaking down public consultations on food safety and sustainability.   The work products of TC 34  appears on the standing agenda of both our Global and Food colloquia.   See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.

Issue: [19-46]

Category: Academic, Global

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Christine Fischer, Akkeneel Talsma

 

 

 

 

World Soil Museum

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The World Soil Museum hosts a range of educational programs and workshops for students, researchers, and other visitors who are interested in learning more about soil science. These programs cover topics such as soil classification, soil management, and soil conservation, and they are designed to help people understand the vital role that soils play in supporting agriculture, ecosystems, and human societies around the world.

 

 

Banketstaaf

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Smart Grid Blockchains

“Groningen 1565” / Georg Braun en Frans Hogenberg

Changing power: Shifting the role of electricity consumers with blockchain technology – Policy implications for EU electricity law

Lea Diestelmeier

Department of European and Economic Law and Groningen Centre of Energy Law

University of Groningen

 

One of the pressing legal questions of the energy transition is how to integrate “prosumers”, consumers who start producing electricity, in the electricity market. So far, their influence remains limited or fully absent because their role as independent market participants is barely or not facilitated as they are usually subject to regulated remuneration schemes. Blockchain technology offers changing the approach of “integration in the market” into “becoming the market” by enabling peer-to-peer transactions. Currently, transactions are facilitated by third parties, suppliers and system operators, whose main task is centrally compiling and coordinating information on loads and generation and contracting supply and distribution services. Instead, blockchain technology enables new ways of organising decentralised persons without the immediate need for one centrally connecting entity. This implies profound legal- and policy consequences. Based on information on first use cases of blockchain applications in the electricity sector, this article identifies those main policy implications for EU electricity law and thereby adds to the discussion how blockchain technology could facilitate “prosumers” to develop as independent market participants in the electricity sector from an energy law perspective.
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