Where oh Where Wednesday: North Holland

This week we are off for a few days together and we decided to check out some cities in North Holland. The name of the country has often been called “Holland” although the official name is “the Netherlands”. This is because when the Dutch were the kings of commerce in the world, they came from the province of North or South Holland. North Holland is where you find the cities of Amsterdam and Haarlem as well as some of the most important cities historically that people would recognize from their cheese (Edam, Volendam and Alkmaar cheese market). 

Since we can also visit good friends and mentors in Haarlem, we started there. Haarlem (which is where the name for the section in New York City comes from) is where many well-known painters came from, where Corrie ten Boom hid Jews in her watchmaking shop during World War II and where Max Verstappen won the Dutch Grand Prix (actually in Zandvoort just outside of Haarlem). For a short afternoon walk we hit some historical memories for us as well. Scott spent two years working with the church here in the 1980’s and we both did a mission summer here a few weeks before we had our first kiss. 

We also took a walk around the town of Hoorn, which is where the VOC (The Dutch East India Company) had its start and Dutch economic superiority began. It was a beautiful, cold day and we enjoyed delicious goodies from a local baker, a walk beside the sea and an adventure in a parking garage. Boats, ice, dog-walkers, a Belgian woman born in the US married to a Dutch shipper selling English sweaters - an amazing, wonderful day. 

We will end our short trip with a stop-over in the city of Leiden where the oldest university can be found. We have previously visited the botanical garden where the share some of the wonders that were brought back by the VOC. There are also trees which are more than 200 years old. But we are looking forward to see some more of the downtown and sniffing some amazing history which is to be found in so many places, even if this city is in South Holland - but that is a different story.. 

Whatsit Wednesday - Mega Corporations

These days we all understand that we have to deal with mega corporations. Many of us use social media. We keep connected with family and friends through all types of channels. I can still remember MySpace and the Dutch version of social media in the beginning, Hyves. These days one has to be connected to several different social media channels in order to be in contact with the various groups. Young people won’t be found dead on some, and older people (Boomers) are not as savvy on others. 

Most of us use the internet to an immense degree. I remember thrilling in the chance to read an encyclopedia. I don’t know how many people still know what an encyclopedia is. But almost everyone knows what Wikipedia is. And if we have a question, the first thing we do is “Google it”. While these are all very recent innovations, the idea of mega corporations is not a modern thing (depending on how far back you want to go to define “modern”). 

The VOC was the “Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie” or the United East India Company, more often known in English as the Dutch East India Company. This company, established in 1602, became much more than a company. It was the first company in which you could be a shareholder, you could buy stock in the company (which could be bought and sold in what would become the Amsterdam Stock Exchange - but that is a different story). 

This company became a megalith with powers to wage war, sign treaties, establish colonies and even strike its own coins. It influenced all of Asia at the time and established markets and cultures that still resonate throughout the world today. Its atrocities resound throughout history as well and should sound a warning. But many are not willing to listen to history, often thinking it only a telling of old tales instead of a warning for future behavior. 

In more modern times we see a few other mega corporations under the Dutch flag. Unilever makes food under many different brands and is partially Dutch. ASML is a Dutch company that has been in the news most recently because of international tensions. They make machines that make chips - computer chips. Much of what they need for their machines is made in Taiwan. If Taiwan were to be taken over by China, the supply of computer chips (which are now used in almost everything) would cease to be as free as it is now. 

So while we are enjoying eating a bag of chips, googling something on our computer or phone or sharing some little tidbit on our social media, we might want to remember what such a corporation can do across the globe.