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Scalar Politics in Flood Risk Management and Community Engagement
Summary and Keywords
Recent extreme hydrological events (e.g., in the United States in 2005 or 2012, Pakistan in 2010, and Thailand in 2011) revealed increasing flood risks due to climate and societal change. Consequently, the roles of multiple stakeholders in flood risk management have transformed significantly. A central aspect here is the question of sharing responsibilities among global, national, regional, and local stakeholders in organizing flood risk management of all kinds. This new policy agenda of sharing responsibilities strives to delegate responsibilities and costs from the central government to local authorities, and from public administration to private citizens. The main reasons for this decentralization are that local authorities can deal more efficiently with public administration tasks concerned with risks and emergency management. Resulting locally based strategies for risk reduction are expected to tighten the feedback loops between complex environmental dynamics and human decision-making processes. However, there are a series of consequences to this rescaling process in flood risk management, regarding the development of new governance structures and institutions, like resilience teams or flood action groups in the United Kingdom. Additionally, downscaling to local-level tasks without additional resources is particularly challenging. This development has tightened further with fiscal and administrative cuts around the world resulting from the global economic crisis of 2007–2008, which tightening eventually causes budget restrictions for flood risk management. Managing local risks easily exceeds the technical and budgetary capacities of municipal institutions, and individual citizens struggle to carry the full responsibility of flood protection. To manage community engagement in flood risk management, emphasis should be given to the development of multi-level governance structures, so that multiple stakeholders share fairly the power, resources, and responsibility in disaster planning. If we fail to do so, some consequences would be: (1), "hollowing out" the government, including the downscaling of the responsibility towards local stakeholders; and (2), inability of the government to deal with the new tasks due to lack of resources transferred to local authorities.
Keywords: localism, scalar politics, community engagement, capacity, power, politics, natural disasters
What Is Scale and Why Do We Need It?
The history of the terms scale and community engagement is long and difficult. Discussion of scale, politics of scale, rescaling, scalar politics, etc., have become increasingly prominent in the past 60 years (Cox, 2009), in particular, since the 1990s (Brenner, 1999, 2001, 2004; Cox, 1998, 2009, 2013; Marston, 2000; Marston, Jones, & Woodward, 2005; MacKinnon, 2011; McCarthy, 2005; Smith, 1990, 1992; Swyngedouw, 1996, 1997, 2004). Ideas on scale have become fragmented in the literature, being distinguished mainly in two research fields (Brown & Purcell, 2005). On the one hand, natural scientists often adopt the concept of scale "to describe the temporal and/or spatial range and magnitude of a process or observation" (Silver, 2008, p. 922). Subsequently, research largely regards the development of models with the objective being to transfer the results toward other socio-political stratigraphy (Reed & Bruyneel, 2010; Silver, 2008). On the other hand, social scientist see scale as an analytical framework for describing and analyzing interactions of social organisms (individuals or organizations) at different levels, such as how communities engage with stakeholders at regional, national, or global levels (Marston, 2000; Reed & Bruyneel, 2010; Smith, 1990; Taylor, 1982). Consequently, the concept of scale in social science is a dynamic concept (Reed & Bruyneel, 2010), often closely linked, for example, with discussions of decentralization/centralization of responsibilities and tasks and/or decision-making processes in environmental management (Cohen & McCarthy, 2014). Changes in current scalar construction have caused overall situational changes, such as more local autonomy to handle problems within the community (Silver, 1999). Therefore, the construction of scale continues to have a prominent role in the question of how community engagement, in flood risk management for example, is allowed, encouraged or hindered. Marston and Mitchell (2004) highlight that "geographical scale is centrally implicated in producing and sustaining citizenship formations" (p. 110). Usually, scalar re-arrangements encompass more than shifts in power and responsibilities. The process covers new organizational structures and practices as well as working relationships between stakeholders (Pugalis & Townsend, 2013). For example, the local capacity in terms of interest, language, knowledge, financial backup, and social networks, influences the involvement of local stakeholders in the flood risk management policy. Therefore, assessing and analyzing the spaces of engagement, spaces to act, and the capacity to act should be a primary focus in the debate on how scale influences community engagement (Perkmann, 2007).
Multiple disciplines have influenced and shaped discussion of scale, being reflected on four main trends in the literature: (a) orientation to the ontological status of the concept itself (Leitner & Miller, 2007; Marston et al., 2005); (b) desire of scalar politics and a change in scalar arrangements (Larson & Soto, 2008); (c) debates on the pragmatic advantages of scalar changes (Parkes et al., 2010); and finally, (d) evaluation of the possible and potential impacts of scalar changes (Castro & Nielsen, 2001; Swyngedouw, 1996; Thaler & Priest, 2014). In comparing the different concepts and theoretical directions within the academic disciplines, there is no consensus in several matters. For example:
a "vertical" differentiation in which social relations are embedded within a hierarchical scaffolding of nested territorial units stretching from the global, the supranational, and the national downwards to the regional, the metropolitan, the urban, the local, and the body.
(Brenner, 2004, p. 9)
platforms for specific kinds of social activities.
(Smith, 2000, p. 725)
scale not as an ontological structure which "exists," but as an epistemological one—a way of knowing or apprehending.
(Jones, 1998, p. 28)
Research on scale is distinguishable in two main bodies of academia. First, the academic debate on scale in geography treats the concept as one useful for analyzing the interaction of natural processes, population, and their behaviors (Brown & Purcell, 2005; Levin, 1992; Sayre, 2005). The second group focuses on scale in the context of environmental governance discourse, especially within the social-ecological systems (SES) argument (Gunderson & Holling, 2002).
Academic Debate on Scale
Critical geography (or political economy)—sees the concept of "scale as a human construct with the purpose of meeting the needs of those who wield the most power, be it political, economic, or financial" (Silver, 2008, p. 924). This includes "a contingent outcome of structural forces and practices of human agents" (Cox, 2009, p. 885). In particular, Fainstein (1999) emphasized the importance of the social structures of each stakeholder involved in the decision-making process. In line with this, Wissen (2009) mentioned that "scales can only be understood in their relationship to other scales" (p. 888). Consequently, scale is based on an evolving social construction that social relationships organize and create rules for (Cox, 1998; Brenner, 2001, 2004; Gualini, 2006; Howitt, 1993; Swyngedouw, 1997). Because of the interactions between state and non-state stakeholders (Smith, 1990), Swyngedouw (2004) placed emphasis on the debate around scale as a socio-political process "that is always deeply heterogeneous and contested" (p. 34). In this way, the socio-political process is always unfixed; it includes an ongoing dynamic change that depends upon ongoing political conflicts between different stakeholders at different levels (Marston et al., 2005; Smith, 1990; Smith & Ward, 1987). Besides the political components, cultural variables heavily influence scalar politics; an example is the question of procedural justices in political engagement (Jones, 1998). Nevertheless, "it is largely accepted that the national state does not simply disappear when 'new state spaces' are produced" (Wissen, 2009, p. 886). An example is the implementation of the EU Floods Directive (see Figure 1).
One might then foresee individual objectives of different stakeholders. For example, Marston and Smith (2001) expanded the concept of scale to incorporate social reproduction and consumption at the household level.
Scaled social processes pupate specific productions of space while the production of space generates distinct structures of geographical scale. The process is highly fluid and dynamic, its social authorship broad-based, and the scale of the household (or the home) is integral to this process. So too, we contend, is the scale of the body.
(Marston & Smith, 2001, p. 616)
In the 21st century, research focuses on the assessment of socio-spatial relationships as part of the analytic research framework to attain a better understanding of central questions like who, why, and how systems produce scale, and what is the aim behind a new scalar arrangement (Clarno, 2013; McCarthy, 2005). Nevertheless, the main critique here is that research on scale only concentrates on assessing state and capital (McCarthy, 2005). As an outcome, scholars like Brenner (2004), Gualini (2006), Jessop, Brenner, and Jones (2008), or Swyngedouw (1997) extended the scale concepts into the interface of human, environment and political discussion. Research within critical geography community tends to see scale as "the spatial, temporal, quantitative, or analytical dimensions used to measure, or rank, and study any phenomenon and levels as the units of analysis that are located at different positions on a scale" (Dore & Lebel, 2010, p. 62). Along these lines, Jessop et al. (2008) distinguish four dimensions of socio-spatial: (a) territory, (b) place, (c) scale, and (d) network (see also Table 1). The main reason of this new view on scale is, for example, to understand the question as to whether localism allows a broader engagement of local stakeholders in the policy discussion. Therefore, the interdependencies are clear between the different stakeholders over spatial-temporal developments (Cox & Mair, 1989; Massey, 1992; Sayre, 2005).
Table 1. Spatialities and the Production of Engagement in Flood Risk Management: Some Initial Questions
Practices of Engagement
Representatives of Engagement
Patterns of Technical/Geomorphological Contexts
How are citizens' rights formed throughout a territory? How are they challenged by flood hazard in their daily life?
How do stakeholder engagement shape the territorial reach of flood risk management activities? How far is uneven development contested?
How do technical/geomorphological aspects create opportunities or barriers to organize flood risk management? How do these aspects shape territorialisation?
How does place attachment influence stakeholder engagement?
How is stakeholder engagement in flood hazard in a place represented? Which forms of engagement are appropriate where?
How do the physical features of place shape flood risk management?
How does networks influence the practices of engagement? How are excluded social groups understood and viewed?
How do people recognize flood risk management? How do representations and knowledge affect engagement of people?
How do technical/geomorphological aspects enable/hinder sociospatial linkages?
How do stakeholder engagement make, re-make, or challenge constructions of scale?
How does the scalar framing of issues affect policy debates? How do scalar frameworks of governance shape understandings of appropriate avenues for policy transfer? Might scale be strategically re-constructed to affect movement?
How does the scalar structure of the state affect the availability of resources for flood risk management? How does unevenness affect stakeholder engagement in decision making?
Source: Adapted from "Mobility Among the Spatialities," by B. Miller & J. Ponto (2016), Annals of the American Association of Geographers, 106(2), 266–273; and from "Sociospatial Understanding of Water Politics: Tracing the Multidimensionality 0f Water Reuse," by R. Beveridge, T. Moss, & M. Naumann (2017), Water Alternatives, 10(1), 22–40.
Discourse on scale revolves around hierarchies, where social relations are organized alongside different constructions of scale based on network relationships and power geometry (Clarno, 2013). Specifically, one can characterize this as hierarchical nesting of responsibility and power (Brenner, 2004). Hierarchical or nested concept (global, national, regional, local relationships) is a key feature in scalar politics, but scale "should not be seen as a simple hierarchical concept" (Howitt, 1993, p. 36). Besides, Marston and Smith (2001) argue that scale "is not simply a 'hierarchically ordered system' placed over pre-existing space, however much that hierarchical ordering may itself be fluid. Rather the production of scale is integral to the production of space, all the way down" (Marston & Smith, 2001, p. 616). In this line, the engagement between scales is also defined and organized by the involved stakeholders primarily with concern as to who can change the current scalar structure and politic. The subject is complex, because within the academic debate, scholars introduced the concept of jumping between scales (Moore, 2008; Smith, 1992). Scale jumping focuses on the "breakout" of stakeholders in their current position in the socio-political system, encouraging shifts in boundaries of political engagement and influence (Smith, 1992). It is a synonym for the "ability of social groups and organisations to move from lower to higher levels" (MacKinnon, 2011, p. 24), mainly to guarantee individual interests and objectives, such as the specifics of a design of flood alleviation schemes (Collinge, 1999). For example, community engagement occurs through social networks at national or international levels, which in turn ensure interests and objectives. This describes the dynamic processes and changes in the social structure (Moore, 2008). A central outcome of jumping between the scales is the change in regulatory approaches, power structure, and administrative processes between local, regional, national, and global stakeholders (Swyngedouw, 1997). In making scale jumping successful, local movements must construct social networks with different stakeholders at different scale as this quotation emphasizes.
The networks of social networks are not just about linking up activists, but also about connecting with media outlets that can help to spread their messages. The success of failure of a protest event, and of a social movement more generally, depends crucially on whether they garner enough media attention to be brought before a national audience capable of putting pressure on policy makers or other actors.
(Jones, Jones, Woods, Whitehead, Dixon, & Hannah, 2015, pp. 130–131)
Therefore, a major question exists wherever the local stakeholders have the possibility to interact with national stakeholders to change the current power structure as an outcome of new scalar arrangements. Power is a central element in the ongoing policy debate and acts as a key attribute in the social relationship and structure (e.g., policy relationship) (Foucault, 1982). In this way, power is the possibility to modify the behavior of actors, stakeholders, and citizens within decision-making practices. Power can be understood as how it may influence individual interests and individual attitudes (Lukes, 2005). Rothschild (2002) found that power in the policy decision-making process lacks transparency. Indeed, socio-cultural context surrounds the concept of power, as in the case of individual habitus in engaging in current policy debate (Bourdieu, 1986). However, Sayer (2004) insisted that one must view power in the social structures of the stakeholders rather than exclusively in the stakeholder. One must then consider who decides in the policy processes, how power is used, who are excluded from the process and who is responsible in national, sub-national, or local level for decision making and implementation. In summary, the critical geographers purport that scale is composed of three elements:
• Size (based on physical units, e.g., change in political boundaries),
• Level (hierarchical relationship), and
• Relation and interactions, which are socially and politically constructed (Howitt, 1993).
As a concept, however, scale plays a central role in the complex in social-ecological systems (SES). A group of authors introduced scale within the idea of de-politicization, especially authors with backgrounds in the New Institutional Economics or multi-level governance tradition (Guerrin, Bouleau, & Grelot, 2014; Meadowcroft, 2002; Moss, 2012). The idea of SES is to understand scalar arrangement with regard to spatial fit and misfit (Moss, 2012), then analyze and evaluate the institutional arrangements and interactions of stakeholders in the policy discourse (Berkes, 2010; Margerum, 2008). Therefore, a central question refers to the aspect of "inclusion, power-sharing, and joint decision-making" (Berkes, 2010, p. 492) along with "an interaction of equals, rather than a subject-object relationship" (p. 492). Gibson, Ostrom, and Ahn (2000) consider scale as "the spatial, temporal, quantitative, or analytical dimensions used to measure and study any phenomenon" (p. 218). For these authors, scale exists in absolute and relative aspects. Absolute scale is "the distance, time, or quantity measured on an objectively calibrated measurement device" (Gibson et al., p. 218). Conversely, relative scale is "a transformation of an absolute scale to one that describes the functional relationship of one object or process to another (e.g., the relative distance between two locations based on the time required by an organism to move between them)" (p. 218). The theoretical debate of scale involves temporal (management cycle) and spatial boundaries (administration, hydrology, ecosystem, and economy) (Cash et al., 2006; Dore & Lebel, 2010; see Figure 2). Boundaries interact between each other, so the "challenge arises out of the incorrect assumption that there is a single, correct, or best characterisation of the scale and level" (Cash et al., 2006, p. 4).
The characteristics of the scalar re-arrangements focus on how we might combine political and hydrological boundaries, as well as the necessity of changing the level of activity and self-realization of the different stakeholders in the policy decision-making practices. This comprises new governance practices, regulations, and administration practices (Gualini, 2006; Moss & Newig, 2010; Perkmann, 2007). One key outcome of these new governance practices is the re-design of the responsibility of tasks and duties between national government and community (Berkes, 2010; Borrini-Feyerabend, 1996; Margerum, 2002, 2008). Consequently, this academic tradition excludes the question of socio-political development and impacts in the constructions and arrangements of scale. The outcome is an exclusion of the questions of power, democracy, social constructions, social justice, and equity.
Scale Arrangements and Community Engagement
Re-organizing scalar arrangements often allowed the empowerment and formation of a coalition of elites, excluding certain stakeholders (Swyngedouw, 1996). Understanding the consequences and potential changes of scalar re-organization demands a "need for closer attention to the inter-relationship between power and social networks in studies of water governance, with particular reference to both institutional dynamics and scalar constructions" (Norman, Bakker, & Cook, 2012, p. 3). In assessing individual capacity to build and hold networks across scalar constructions over changes in the scalar arrangements, this article focuses on changes in the legislations. If we can observe these developments, we should be able to see how such changes have affected history. To examine this idea, Table 2 provides a list of 11 major changes in the British flood risk management policy achievements.
Table 2. Evolving Scalar Arrangements in Flood Risk Management Since 1930 in England and Wales
Legislation/Key Policy Paper
The Main Modalities of Power Control by Central Government
Possibilities for Community Engagement
Land Drainage Act
Catchment Boards
Finance and technical standards
Highly localized organized; main stakeholders: farmers and landowning interests
River Boards Act
Internal Drainage Board (IDB)
Finance and technical standards
Highly localized organized; main stakeholders: farmers and landowning interests
Water Resources Act
River Authorities
Finance (benefit-costs test) and technical standards
Highly localized organized; main stakeholders: farmers and landowning interests
Water Act
Reducing number of river authorities
Finance (benefit-costs test) and technical standards
Highly localized organized; main stakeholders: farmers and landowning interests
Water Act
National River Authority (responsible for managing water resources, pollution control, flood control and land drainage)
Finance (benefit-costs test) and technical standards
Highly localized organized; main stakeholders: farmers and landowning interests as well as engagement of environmental NGOs
Environment Act
Environment Agency (replace National River Authority)
Finance, overall policy
Environmental NGOs
Priority Scoring
Environment Agency
Central-regional (focus on urban areas)
Finance, benefit-cost policy; overall policy
Environmental NGOs
Centralized spending
Environment Agency
Central (shift in the funding decision from local towards national; prioritization based on priority scoring)
Finance, benefit-cost policy; overall policy
Environmental NGOs
Payment of Outcomes
Environment Agency
Central (change of the prioritization system; holistic view of flood and coastal erosion risk management; including social justice aspects in the decision making practices; dominant national funding)
Finance, benefit-cost policy; overall policy
Environmental NGOs
Flood and Water Management Act
Responsibility-sharing between Environment Agency, Regional Flood and Coastal Committees and Lead Local Flood Authorities
Finance, benefit-cost policy; overall policy
Local authorities, insurance companies and environmental NGOs
Partnership Funding
New roles to local government authorities
Central-local (national and third-party funding)
Finance, benefit-cost policy; overall policy; rate support grant
Local authorities, citizens, insurance companies and environmental NGOs
NGO. Non-governmental organization. Source: Adapted from "Partnership Funding in Flood Risk Management: New Localism Debate and Policy in England," by T. Thaler & S. Priest (2014), Area, 46(4), 418–425; and from "The Ebb and Flow of Power: British Flood Risk Management and the Politics of Scale," by E. C. Penning-Rowsell & C. Johnson (2015), Geoforum, 62, 131–142.
The first organized arrangement in the British flood risk management policy was the Land Drainage Act, in 1930. The act was submitted after the published report of the Royal Commission on Land Drainage in 1927. The aim of the Land Drainage Act was based largely on previous experiences of large flood events in the 1920s and during World War I and was meant to guarantee food security within the country. The overall outcome was: (a) creation of 46 catchment river boards, (b) transfer of responsibility and power (of undertaken structural flood defenses on non-major rivers) to Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs), and (c) introduction of a government granted-aid system for main rivers (Penning-Rowsell & Johnson, 2015; Scrase & Sheate, 2005). The Land Drainage Act focused strongly on bolstering local decision making, whereas the national government's primary responsibility was the funding of local projects. This move toward localism in policy opened the possibility for certain groups within the community to engage in the flood risk management policy; this was especially the case for farmers, the main winners of this change in strategy. Indeed, after World War I, farmers were generally highly subsidized by public administrations (O'Riordan, 1980). Although policy leaned heavily this way, it changed over the next century. This was particularly the case in aftermath of the 1963 Water Resources Act, wherein the flood risk management policy in England and Wales included a slow process toward centralized water policy in the country. Indeed, the number of catchment wide organizations were drastically reduced to collectivize within the Environment Agency, with the introduction of the 1989 Water Act.
The new environment agency will give us opportunities to proceed much faster and in a more holistic way than we have so far been able to do. The whole idea is that we look at the environment much more in the round. We must recognise that we cannot deal only with water, as air and land pollution must be seen together with water pollution. The work of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and that of the local authorities in their waste management role needs to be brought together with what the National Rivers Authority has so excellently done in the past few years.
(Hansard, Commons, 18.4., 1995)
The Water Act of 1989 placed the Environment Agency at the center of the British flood risk management policy. Consequently, changes slowly transformed the decision process toward determining who received a protection scheme and who did not. At the beginning, the allocation of flood defenses were based on local interventions through social networks, though at the national level. However, since the 1960s and 1970s, the national government tightened the use of cost-benefit control in the allocation process (Penning-Rowsell & Johnson, 2015). Nevertheless, the local drainage organizations (IDBs) maintained their strong position in flood risk management policy through strong national lobbying efforts (O'Riordan, 1980; Parker & Sewell, 1988; Petit, 1999). Financial contributions remained drawn largely from the local level, showing strong influence in the British flood risk management policy. With the introduction of the new funding and prioritization policy in 1998, this changed. The Priority Scoring was only an extension of the already ongoing conflicts between the Thatcher/Major national and the Labour-organized local governments (see also quote below).
Thatcher's legacy to local governments was increased centralisation and the willingness of her successors to cap, limit, and control local democracy in England. This country is one of the most centralised of western democracies, which is an odd legacy for a politician who so prized individualism and freedom.
(Travers, 2013)
The period between 1998 and 2010 was characterized by highly centralized hierarchical top-down management, whereas local level (specifically non-state) stakeholders had little influence in the ongoing development of flood risk management policy. "The Environment Agency (EA) was given responsibility for allocating funds direct to local authorities for coastal protection schemes, meaning the EA could objectively appraise, prioritise and allocate funds to flood and coastal erosion risk management activity across England in line with where greatest benefit could be achieved with the funding available" (Defra, 2010, p. 9). Similar developments can be observed in the funding structure. The contribution policy towards funding of flood alleviation schemes changed, from a local system of spending toward a highly centralized spending regime (e.g., national government), where the national government in London began dictating flood risk management policies nationwide (see Figure 3).
The most recent development in the flood risk management funding policy in England and Wales was the introduction of the Partnership Funding scheme in April 2011 (Thaler & Levin-Keitel, 2016; Thaler & Priest, 2014). This was driven by multiple developments to "move-back" to a stronger, locally based flood risk management policy. For example, government-driven documents, such as the EA study Investing for the Future, published in 2009 (EA, 2009), or the recommendations from the Pitt Review (Pitt, 2008), point to the government becoming more receptive to more locally oriented flood risk management politics to address challenges in future funding. The EA study documented the need for an increase of the annual budget of around £20 million, exclusive of the annual rate of inflation (EA, 2009). Another (second) driver was the spending cuts of the national government one might review in the Government Spending Review (October 2010). One result was that the central government had to reduce the public national funding (Figure 4). The spending review included a reduction of new flood alleviation schemes, from £354 million (2010–2011) to £259 million (constant over the next spending review period), as well as for maintained work, emergency response, hazard and risk mapping and modeling, from £275 million (2010–2011) to £226 million (2014–2015). The consequences were a reduction of new flood alleviation schemes, as well as struggles to satisfy all maintained work on current flood alleviation schemes.
The U.K. central government has recognized the need for additional financial contributions from third parties (i.e., non-state stakeholders, EU, or county councils). This allows the possibility for more flood defense schemes and for meeting 100% of necessary funding. Despite this, there are no substantial differences between the previous funding regime and the new partnership funding scheme. Nevertheless, Partnership Funding encouraged a change in governance structure and the associated interaction. Discussion in the early 21st century surrounding British flood policy includes more and different stakeholders involved in the decision-making process.
Community Engagement: Is It Good or Bad?
The Cockermouth Partnership Funding scheme in the United Kingdom has a high level of self-management and initiation on the part of local stakeholders, such as businesses and residents. The engaged local community had the necessary resources in the interaction with the national government to realize the flood defense scheme in the town. Local grassroots organization has been strongly based on the interest and frustration of residents after recent flood events. Its first role was to create a voice through which to lobby for a local flood defense scheme to protect residents' properties. The Partnership has taken over this lobbying role from local politicians and, as a consequence, the group is very homogenous. The members are mainly white, well-educated, middle-class professionals with expertise, skills, and knowledge in planning and law. Moreover, the engaged community uses a strong local network to access and unite various local political stakeholders in the ongoing flood risk policy discussion; they argue and lobby in an effective way to further engage the surrounding community (Thaler & Levin-Keitel, 2016; Thaler & Priest, 2014). Members of grassroots organizations have shown a profound knowledge about the topic, as well as the social and cultural capital and the right habitus (Bourdieu, 1986). They recognized the influence and potential power they had, as well as their need to become involved in the decision process in order to realize the defense scheme. The network's relationship with Members of Parliament and the County Council played an important role. Despite this new coalition, the new Environment Agency had to change their ideology, shifting away from engineering (that is, designing and building flood defense schemes) to more project management tasks. Above all, the Environment Agency had to communicate to the local stakeholders and consider their views, interests, and aims.
Despite the positive effect of community engagement, the Partnership Funding scheme includes also various challenges and negative developments. Another example is the community Morpeth, in the United Kingdom. In the case of Morpeth, no private stakeholders were integrated in the funding scheme at all. The Northumberland County Council made the political decision not to ask for any other stakeholders to contribute to the scheme. The local community group has been shown as a strong lobbying and pressure group. There has been a strong interplay between the local community and the public administration, harnessing high levels of contributions from government. The results of this political decision highlighted that further projects in other local authorities across the county can no longer be funded completely by Northumberland County Council. Partnership Funding encouraged a shift in flood risk management away from solely public trust toward a club or even private good (Meijerink & Dicke, 2008) approach. Areas needing funding from third parties need well-established social and cultural networks to realize their flood defense schemes. Furthermore, the decision processes surrounding formulating flood defense schemes are based more on political will, relationships, and interests than on an objective decision process. Unfortunately, community engagement often shows limited influence and originality in the outcome, often based on the lack of resources at the local level and the asymmetrical participation of stakeholders (Norman & Bakker, 2009). One clear issue is that of the democratic mandate (legitimacy) in flood risk management, especially with the engagement of a non-elected local grassroots organization in the policy process. This has resulted in a step backwards in the decision-making process regarding the selection of the flood defense schemes, away from technocratic decision-process practices (introduced under the Priority Scoring scheme) to charity hazard decision-process practices. A second outcome can be observed in uneven development in the country, owing to unequal capacities at the local level (Nicholls, 2009; Peck & Tickell, 2012). Therefore, an organization with "correct" habitus and necessary resources (social capacities) can influence the planning process, where stakeholders are qualified to interact with externals at different scales. This often correlates with the size of the municipality. Smaller municipalities are limited in the degree of engagement in flood risk management based on the lack of capacity in the community, as Consoer and Milman (2017) showed in their article for the federal system in the United States. Nevertheless, various examples across the world clearly show that communities are often less willing to request more resources, power, and responsibility to interact in flood risk management. For this is the expectation—that flood risk management is exclusively the responsibility of national governments. The resulting change of scalar arrangements would only enforce new boundaries without further democratic processes and lack of local institutions (Allen & Cochrane, 2007; Fatti & Patel, 2013). Overall, "community based disaster risk reduction initiatives always depend on such established community owned institutions" (Surjan & Shaw, 2009, p. 430), as in the Advance Locality Management (ALM) example in Mumbai, India. The movements were organized voluntarily by individuals, but the members were able to link their activities to their neighborhood. Community engagement continues to improve local well being based on new scalar construction (Surjan & Shaw). However, local elites have various advantages over other social groups, but also the possibilities afforded by resources, mobility, and access for taking action on the jurisdictional level and administrative actions (Perreault, 2003). Similar developments can be found in other examples across the world, such as implementation of watershed management plans in Austria (Thaler, 2016; Thaler, Priest, & Fuchs, 2016); whereas high-income communities were able to ensure their interests and needs in flood risk management.
The outcome can be a shift from democratically elected representatives toward non-state stakeholders. This has the potential of environmental racism politics as a result (Elliott & Pais, 2006), where low-income and minority communities, which lack social and cultural capital and capacity, as well as economic power, are excluded from the policy process and their fair share of flood protection.
Researchers see community engagement as a social process, wherein the local community works together to find a collective solution for a certain problem, such as local flood risk management solutions (Green & Penning-Rowsell, 2010). However, community engagement is often introduced by political parties and/or leaders, or by the national government. Commonly, the best way to do this is through trust building and legitimacy between local stakeholders and public administration, especially bureaucrats at higher levels. Nevertheless, scholars often foresee the inflexibility of public administration as a main hindrance to a successful collaboration (Tseng & Penning-Rowsell, 2012). Additional problems relate to the lack of institutional support about how to organize and deal with a community engagement process, lack of communication, lack of information sharing, and especially lack of resources, in particular in respect to large participation processes. Scalar re-arrangements force changes in the social structure and interaction with multiple stakeholders in flood risk management. Usually, new scalar constructions empower local stakeholders to take action in the decision process. Among the key problems that community engagement in flood risk management faces, the most critical is the different interests and views of each stakeholder in the policy process. Community engagement is essential for the successful implementation of certain policy strategies. However, this depends strongly on the local interests and available resources to engage in the process. Therefore, a participatory approach to flood risk management is only a success story for middle-class communities, and not for deprived communities, which are usually most vulnerable.
The opportunity to submit this article to the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Natural Hazard Science is gratefully acknowledged. The research was funded by the JPI-Climate project TRANS-ADAPT funded by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science, Research, and Economy (BMWFW), the French National Research Agency (ANR), the Ireland Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), and by the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund project BottomUp:Floods (project number KR15AC8K12462).
Suggested Readings
Cohen, A., & McCarthy, J. (2014). Reviewing rescaling: Strengthening the case for environmental considerations. Progress in Human Geography, 39(1), 1–23.Find this resource:
Elliott, J. R., & Pais, J. (2006). Race, class, and Hurricane Katrina: Social differences in human responses to disaster. Social Science Research, 35(2), 295–321.Find this resource:
Green, C., & Penning-Rowsell, E. (2010). Stakeholder engagement in flood risk management, in G. Pender & H. Faulkner (Eds.), Flood risk science and management (pp. 372–385). West Sussex, U.K.: Wiley-Blackwell.Find this resource:
Norman, E. S., & Bakker, K. (2009). Transgressing scales: Water governance across the Canada–U.S. borderland. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 99(1), 99–117.Find this resource:
Penning-Rowsell, E. C., & Johnson, C. (2015). The ebb and flow of power: British flood risk management and the politics of scale. Geoforum, 62, 131–142.Find this resource:
Smith, N. (1990). Uneven development. Nature, capital, and the production of space (2d ed.). Oxford: Basil Blackwall.Find this resource:
Taylor, P. J. (1982). A materialist framework for political geography. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 7(1), 15–34.Find this resource:
Thaler, T., & Levin-Keitel, M. (2016). Multi-level stakeholder engagement in flood risk management: A question of roles and power: Lessons from England. Environmental Science and Policy, 55, 292–301.Find this resource:
Thaler, T., & Priest, S. (2014). Partnership funding in flood risk management: New localism debate and policy in England. Area, 46(4), 418–425.Find this resource:
Tseng, C. P., & Penning-Rowsell, E. (2012). Micro-political and related barriers to stakeholder engagement in flood risk management. The Geographical Journal, 178(3), 253–269.Find this resource:
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text:
Conquer 3D Lighting NOW - Finally, put an End
to Your Frustrations and Trial & Error!
Great 3D Art Now Special: Save 20%
Are you a new or intermediate hobby
3D artist looking for a way to immediately get rid of that nagging
feeling of not knowing what you need to do and then how to do it
when it comes to 3D lighting?
If you're fed up with frustrating and time consuming trial & error
and random results then read on. I'll tell you exactly how you can
create beautiful lighting
faster, easier and
with more confidence and control than ever.
It's time you start feeling proud of your art and get people to
ask you how you did it...
Hi, I'm Val Cameron a.k.a. Waldemar B., creator of the Light Master Training
Program and founder of the Dreamlight 3D Club, the leader in
3D graphics training for artists looking to create
professional-looking scenes, quickly and easily.
I've been teaching 3D lighting since 2006, and I've helped
thousands of artists really GET the concept of
lighting. I've shown them exactly what it takes to produce
realistic and beautiful lighting time after time, scene after
scene - regardless of what software or tools they are using.
No more trial and error or random results...
These are REAL results, created by and for real
Angela Knight - 3D artist, New York Times bestselling author
The Myths
What about the cool tools available – such as radiosity and
realistic render engines – don't they give great results?
Yes and no.
YES, when you start with good lighting.
Absolutely NOT when you use these tools to enhance an existing
mess. Years of experience have shown me that what you put into
a fancy tool is exactly what you get out of it!
Don't I need a expensive 3D software to get better lighting?
NO, you don't! Software is nothing more than a tool. Software
won't fix poor lighting.
Don't I need a super-fast, monster computer?
Nope. Again, your computer is just a tool. You can produce
exceptional lighting with an older computer, as long as you
know what you're doing.
I figure it out from a free video tutorial or free e-book?
I'm sorry to tell you that it's just not gonna happen. As with
any other skill, true mastery of 3D lighting takes combining
the right training with practice and repetition.
It's that simple.
Can't I do this on my own?
Sure, if you're willing to struggle for years, just like I
The lessons I'll teach you will shorten your learning curve
and literally shave years off your 3D lighting
Plus, if you're working on your own what do you do if you get
stuck? I used to waste hours on fixes that experienced
artists could solve in minutes.
How do I know all this?
I've been coaching artists for years, and I've seen the same
patterns over and over.
Those who really make it as artists are those
who embrace new knowledge and put it into action with the
right kind of supervision. In a really short period of time,
these guys really GET it.
If you're not there yet, don't worry because…
You're Not Alone!
was there myself, for years, frustrated and praying that my
renders would at least look half as good as the ones I saw in the
movies after I clicked 'Render.'
I was
relying on trial on error - and stubbornness! - to light my
7 long years, I started to make some progress.
I hit on a few products that began to make a real difference in
the way I worked. Finally, I was able to leverage my 20+ year
background as a professional camera man, photographer and video
editor and to create professional-looking animated scenes.
fact, I got so good that people started to ask me to teach my
3D techniques to them, via my Dreamlight 3D Club.
Suddenly, other people who had struggled for years were telling me
that my lessons helped them finally GET IT. They were producing
scenes that were light-years ahead of what they'd been
I was
pretty sure that what I've discovered was…
The Missing Link
I realized that
everyone was missing the CORE of 3D lighting...
And so Light Master was born!
Light Master breaks down 3D lighting into its smallest
components and teaches them one at a time - so that you
It's the basics, presented in an easy-to-understand method,
like never before...
And it works.
It works every time - and it works with every kind of scene
you can imagine, both indoors and outdoors.
lighting training is exactly how I would teach someone to
do lighting. The expert advice is obviously derived from
years of practical experience. Having someone to show
you how to light and then explain why things work is the
fastest way to truly learn the in's and out's of this
essential skill.",
Michael Ambruso -
Professional 3D Artist
Light Master narrows down 3D lighting to just 2 things:
1. EXACTLY what you
need to know – no more, no less
2. How to USE this knowledge to get immediate results
The truth is: you don't need to learn everything!
In fact, trying to learn everything will only frustrate you
and add years on to your training.
That's why Light Master is such an amazing product. It will
show you EXACTLY what you need to learn to immediately start
producing professional-looking lighting - no more, no less.
For example, some teachers will confuse you with "27"
different light types.
Here's the secret: you only need to master 5.
That's right. You only need to master the 5 most important
light types: Distant Light, Point Light, Spot Light, Area
Light and Light Emitting Surfaces.
That's it! You don't need anything else.
Because these 5 light types differ from each other in very
specific ways, just using these 5 allows you to conquer every
single 3D obstacle you encounter.
Now, for every so-called "expert" who wants to teach you 27
light types, there are just as many who will over-simplify
lighting, keeping your work from looking even remotely
Here's how to spot these overly-simple set-ups.
Ever heard of the "3 Point Light Set-Up"? It's a favorite of
some teachers in the field.
If you rely on this technique to make magic in your 3D scenes
- it won't.
It was designed for portrait photography. Although it WILL
create some good results for SOME renders, it's just not
enough for an artist with the creativity to design
hundreds of different scenes.
Trust me.
I've created well over 100 lighting products, and I know that
the 3 Point Light Set-Up doesn't give you enough flexibility
to light all kinds of scenes...
Not like the Light Master system.
Light Master teaches you what I call the 7 Light Point
It builds on the 3 Point Light Set-Up and adds Ambient,
Bounce, Overall and Background Light.
With all 7 components in place, you can add beautiful lighting
to virtually any 3D image, both indoors and outdoors.
Most importantly, Light Master teaches you how to achieve a
delicate balance with these 7 components for subtle,
gorgeous results, as well as the psychology behind
their use to give your scene real depth. When you learn how to
use all 7 to tell the STORY behind your image, your
work will POP.
This is how you light 3D scenes with amazing control for
serious impact!
Now, Light Master is not a simple "place this light here"
training. It's also not a simple "follow me along as I play
with a few lights" program, either.
It DIVES into the core of lighting, shreds it into
small, easy-to-understand pieces, gives you multiple options
to feed your creativity and explains it all in mind-blowing
There's no other 3D lighting training like it out there.
Light Master goes deep beneath the reasons of exactly WHAT
techniques to use, WHEN to use them, and WHY.
In other words…
Light Master will show you exactly what you need to GET IT.
How Does
Light Master Work?
During a 5-hour intense, comprehensive video training
program, I will break down the ins-and-outs of 3D lighting,
step-by step.
The Light Master videos are easy to digest for maximum impact
and quick results. If you're excited about learning the best
3D techniques in the shortest amount of time, this is the
program for you.
videos are in high quality 1280 x 720 HD streaming flash
format, and are also available as downloads in the wmv and mp4
formats so you can view them anywhere you want, both on PC's
and MAC's...
Lightwave and DAZ Studio are used to demonstrate the
techniques, but since what I teach is purely generic, it will
fit with your needs regardless of what application you're
So it will work in any 3D software?
Absolutely! Vue, Carrara, DAZ Studio, Poser, Lightwave, 3D Max
and Cinema 4D will all allow you to execute the techniques
I'll show you.
The core of lighting remains the same
regardless of what software and tools you use.
Don't have 3D software yet?
I'll include a program for free in your Light Master bundle.
By now, I bet you're thinking, "Wow, this all sounds great,
but . . . "
This Program Really Work for Me?
lot of my students ask me: "Can anyone become good at 3D
If you practice what you learn, you WILL become good at it.
Each video will give you micro-training on a single topic,
paired with specific techniques will show you exactly how to
apply what you're learning in your renders immediately.
Your friends will be shocked when they see your new art and
lighting skills and will start asking you how they can achieve
similar results.
In other words, you'll benefit quickly and IMMEDIATELY from
the Light Master training program, no matter your level of
experience and time at your disposal.
All you have to do is put what you learn into practice...
can view a single 10 minute video, implement the knowledge in
your own scene, and immediately see the difference. The Light
Master training program is designed so you can view each short
lesson at your own pace, and benefit from it right away.
Even if you're completely new to 3D and never touched a 3D
software, the Light Master Training Program will point you
towards a free 3D software, and show you how to get started
with specific starter videos.
Because the processes I'll show you works, every single time.
I'll show you exactly why…
Mike Lewis - Spain
Why Light Master
I've told you why other training just doesn't work: it's
either way too simple to produce professional results,
too attached to a specific scene or way too complicated
to get started without years of studying.
Light Master training is JUST RIGHT. It will show you
exactly what you need to know, in exactly enough
detail to help you produce fantastic results immediately.
Because I am determined to get you started RIGHT AWAY, I've
added a couple of bonuses to my Light Master training so you
can start creating professional 3D lighting right away, the
way I know it needs to be done.
Bonus #1: Dreamlight 3D Club Forum Access
Can't I get professional help on public forums?
You can make friends and get some tips here and there - but
that's about it.
To really move you forward in times when you get stuck
or have specific questions, you need help from dedicated
professionals and artists who know what they're doing. That's
why I'm including a special bonus for you:
Besides the forum, you also have access
to even more lighting training, a free 3D software and
50+ Gb of other cool stuff and training...
But wait, there's more!
You see, after years of live coaching, I've realized that live
training is really what really delivers results.
It's THE fastest way to grow as an artist.
I also
know that as a hobby 3D artist, you have limited time at your
disposal. Therefore, I'm including a few Live Webinar
Recordings, that you can view at your own pace, when it suits
you and when you need to address those specific topics. No
need to attend anything!
That's why I'll include for you . . .
10 hours of recorded Live Webinars
where I teach 3D lighting live and interactive.
Plus additional 12 hours of recorded Live Webinars and
Videos covering our Monthly Gallery Contests.
No need to attend anything, view them when you want!
Benefit from the incredible "AHA"-impact
that live training has.
There's nowhere else to get this kind of comprehensive 3D
lighting training.
Light Master includes comprehensive training on the exact
techniques you need to produce professional results
quickly—with any 3D software—PLUS professional forum support
AND live training recordings...
You could take a few college courses to get 3D training, or
you could take a 12-week online class, both of which will cost
you several thousands of dollars.
Light Master lets you do this at an incredibly low price, from
the comfort of your own home, at your own pace. You can even
download the videos and study them on the go.
Putting a price tag on these resources is difficult because I
know they work and I can guarantee the results.
During the last 12 years, I've spent over 10,000 hours learning what I know, and it's
really priceless. If you put just a $2 tag on 10,000 hours you
end up with $20,000.
Not to mention all the money I've spent of top notch hardware
and software to get me where I am today.
don't want you to struggle like I did for so many years, so
I'm going to give all this to you for only
That's an INSANE
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Like Predecessor, New Justice Dept. Claiming Privilege.
Civil liberties advocates are accusing the Obama administration of forsaking campaign rhetoric and adopting the same expansive arguments that his predecessor used to cloak some of the most sensitive intelligence-gathering programs of the Bush White House.
TVNL Comment: How is that for change? Are you Democrats getting the picture yet?


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PR Newswire
SHERMAN OAKS, Calif., June 8, 2014
SHERMAN OAKS, Calif., June 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- More than a hundred visual effects associates and others in related fields came to talk shop with 25 exceptional young men and women at yesterday's open house held at the Exceptional Minds vocational school for young adults with autism in Sherman Oaks, California.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140607/95865
The young adults – all in their 20s and on the autism spectrum – are students at Exceptional Minds and are beating the statistical odds as they prepare for careers in the post-production industry. The school is known for its close working relationship with the visual effects industry, which has provided its students with hands-on experience, including screen credit for student work on Oscar-nominated motion picture American Hustle, the 2012 movie Lawless, and upcoming release Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
Standing before the industry during Friday's open house, Exceptional Minds job developer and Crystal Rain Media Entertainment visual effects producer Susan Zwerman thanked the industry's studios and visual effects associates for the opportunities given its students in the past three years. She specifically thanked Stereo D, Method Studios, Bob Hackl and Annapurna pictures, Stargate Studios, Film Roman, United Front, Pixel Magic, DreamWorks Animation, Paramount and 20th Century Fox for their support. In closing, she read off a heartfelt letter from 20th Century Fox visual effects producer Ryan Stafford, who recently contracted Exceptional Minds for vfx roto work in stereo on the upcoming release Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, calling out the students' "hard work, dedication and professionalism, the entire Dawn of the Planet of the Apes visual effects crew thanks you."
According to a study prepared for the U.S. Department of Education, one in three young adults with autism have no paid job experience, college or technical school nearly seven years after high school graduation.
Eight talented, exceptional individuals of the 25 will be the first to graduate from the school on Sunday, having achieved certification in several computer applications considered to be the gold standard in post-production and other digital arts fields.
About Exceptional Minds (http://www.exceptionalmindsstudio.org):
Exceptional Minds is a non-profit vocational center and working production studio for young adults on the autism spectrum. It was chartered in 2011 to provide the training necessary for creatively gifted individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) who may not otherwise be able to make the transition from high school to careers. Exceptional Minds offers technical proficiency and work readiness training that prepares students for careers in graphic arts, animation, web design, visual effects and rotoscoping. Located in Sherman Oaks, California, Exceptional Minds is both an instructional learning facility and a working studio with hands-on student involvement in production projects, many for the film industry.
SOURCE Exceptional Minds


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RICHMOND, Va. — Eleven members of the 11th-ranked University of New Hampshire football team were feted Monday as members of CAA All-Conference Teams, including First Team recognition for linebacker Matt Evans, wide receiver R.J. Harris, left tackle Seamus O'Neill and defensive tackle Jared Smith. Running back Nico Steriti, cornerback Dontra Peters and safety Manny Asam were tabbed to the All-CAA Second Team, while tight end Harold Spears, center Mike Coccia, left guard Chris Zarkoskie and place kicker Mike MacArthur (North Hampton, N.H.) earned berths on the Third Team.
Evans, an All-CAA First Teamer for the second straight season, is the league leader in total tackles (115) and solo tackles (77), and the co-captain is ranked second in tackles/game (10.5). Evans, New Hampshire's all-time tackle leader (449) and the 2011 Buck Buchanan Award winner as the national FCS defensive player of the year, was this year's CAA Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and, during his sophomore season (2010), was a member of the All-CAA Second Team.
Harris, the CAA's leader in receiving yards/game (89.2) and total receiving yards (981), moves up to the First Team as a sophomore after being selected to the Second Team as a redshirt freshman in 2011. Harris ranks second in the league in receptions (73) and receptions/game (6.6), and his team-leading nine TD catches rank third in the conference.
O'Neill, who garnered All-CAA Third Team honors as a sophomore in 2011, claims a spot on the First Team as a junior. The offensive lineman, who has started 23 consecutive games at left tackle, anchors the front line for an offense ranked second in the CAA in scoring (36.5 points/game), total offense (470.9 yards/game), rushing (234.2 yards/game) and third in passing (236.7 yards/game).
Smith, a first-time All-CAA honoree, leads the Wildcats in tackles for loss (9.0), sacks (4.0), and blocked kicks (three). His two forced fumbles are tied for second in the CAA. The defensive tackle and Senior Bowl Watch List representative has accumulated 36 tackles, including 23 solo, in 10 games — all starts.
Steriti claims All-CAA Second Team honors after rushing 129 times for 870 yards and nine TDs during the regular season. The sophomore running back ranks fifth in the league in rushing yards/game (79.1), and his 5.5 points/game are ranked ninth. He added 13 receptions for 108 yards and a receiving TD and 11 kickoff returns for 167 yards.
Peters, who made the All-CAA Third Team as a running back in 2010, notched a place on the Second Team in his first season as a cornerback. The senior co-captain is tied for third in the league with four interceptions, and his eight pass breakups are good for eighth. In nine games, Peters has notched 49 tackles, a forced fumble and has added 10 kickoff returns for 268 yards, pacing the Wildcats with 26.8 yards/return.
Asam ranked second on the team with 64 total tackles and 47 solo stops while starting all 11 games at strong safety. The junior amassed five tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, an interception, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery.
Spears, a sophomore, posted 20 receptions for 305 yards and four touchdowns in 11 games, highlighted by a three-catch, 107-yard, two-TD performance in a win at Maine and a six-reception, 94-yard, TD effort in a victory at Georgia State.
Coccia, a sophomore, has started all 23 games of his Wildcat career at center alongside Zarkoskie, a senior co-captain and three-year starter who has logged the start at left guard all 11 games this season.
MacArthur earns All-CAA honors for the third straight season. The Third Team kicker is 11-for-14 in field goal attempts, with a long of 43 yards.
The CAA Coach of the Year is Villanova's Andy Talley, the Offensive Player of the Year is Old Dominion quarterback Taylor Heinicke, Stephon Robertson of James Madison was named the Defensive Player of the Year and the co-Special Teams Players of the Year are B.W. Webb of William & Mary and Albert Wilson of Georgia State. The Offensive Rookie of the Year is Villanova's John Robertson, and Delaware's Jeff Williams garnered the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
UNH (8-3, 6-2 CAA) will venture to Spartanburg, S.C., to challenge No. 9 Wofford (8-3, 6-2 SoCon), the co-champions of the Southern Conference, in the second round of the NCAA Division I Football Championship on Saturday, Dec. 1, at Gibbs Stadium (2 p.m.). The game will be broadcast on ESPN3.
The Wildcats are playing in the postseason for the ninth consecutive year, the longest active streak in the nation. For tickets, visit www.unhwildcats.com or call (603) 862-4000, extension 5.
DeSmith HE defensive POW
WAKEFIELD, Mass. — Sophomore goaltender Casey DeSmith of the third-ranked University of New Hampshire men's hockey team was named Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week for the fourth time this season. The announcement was made Monday by the league office. DeSmith collects this honor for the fifth time in his collegiate career and the fourth time in the last five weeks.
DeSmith went 2-0 with a pair of road wins this weekend. He recorded his fourth shutout of the season and third straight on Friday night at Lowell (3-0). He followed that up by stopping 45-of-46 shots in a 3-1 win at No. 11 Boston University on Sunday. DeSmith set a UNH program record with 203:32 of scoreless hockey in net for the Wildcats. He posted a .986 save percentage and a 0.50 GAA for the weekend. He has won four-straight games and allowed just one goal in that span. DeSmith is first in Hockey East in every statistical category.
UNH captured its first team of the week honors thanks to a pair of critical Hockey East road wins. The Wildcats won at UMass-Lowell, 3-0, on Friday night and captured a 3-1 win on Sunday afternoon at Boston University. The team has won four straight and are off to their best start since the 1968-69 season.
DeSmith and the Wildcats continue their four-game road trip in Colorado just after Thanksgiving. UNH will play at 14th-ranked Colorado College on Friday, Nov. 23 (9:37 p.m.) and square off against second-ranked University of Denver on Saturday, Nov. 24 (9:07 p.m.). UNH's next home game is Nov. 30 against the River Hawks. Puck drops at 7:30 p.m. at the Whittemore Center with TV coverage on WBIN-TV and FOX College Sports. For tickets, visit www.unhwildcats.com or call (603) 862-4000, extension 5.
Soccer teams win national academic award
KANSAS CITY, Kansas — The UNH men's and women's soccer teams have received the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Team Academic Award for the 2011-12 academic year, the NSCAA recently announced.
Out of over 1600 eligible institutions, 724 teams were honored (221 men, 503 women), and the Wildcats were one of just three America East institutions to have both squads recognized. Of that total, 150 schools had their men's and women's programs recognized. Teams qualified for the award based on a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better.
UNH Roundup: Wildcat football places 11 on all-conference teams
RICHMOND, Va. — Eleven members of the 11th-ranked University of New Hampshire football team were feted Monday as members of CAA All-Conference Teams, including First Team recognition for linebacker Matt Evans, wide receiver R.J. Harris, left tackle Seamus O'Neill and defensive tackle Jared Smith. Running back Nico Steriti, cornerback Dontra Peters and safety Manny Asam were tabbed to the All-CAA Second Team, while tight end Harold Spears, center Mike Coccia, left guard Chris Zarkoskie and place kicker Mike MacArthur (North Hampton, N.H.) earned berths on the Third Team.


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The number of home builders, remodelers and other members of the real estate and construction industry who hold the Certified Green Professional (CGP) educational designation now tops 4,000, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) announced recently.
The milestone is the latest sign that NAHB green building education and training initiatives continue to find an enthusiastic audience, said NAHB Chair Joe Robson, a home builder and developer in Tulsa, Okla.
The NAHB Research Center, which administers the National Green Building Certification program for new homes, developments and remodeling projects, is also reporting solid growth: More than 350 homes have been certified and there are 4,500 projects in the certification pipeline.
"When the housing market returns, it will be accompanied by increased demand for green and energy-efficient new homes and remodeling projects," Robson said. "Our members want to ensure they are ready to meet the demand, and that's why so many are beginning to score and certify their projects or studying and taking classes to obtain their CGP designation."
Robson noted that the New Hampshire Builders and Remodelers Association will use part of a recent state grant designed to promote greenhouse gas reduction projects to provide members with the coursework needed for the Certified Green Professional designation.
CGPs must successfully complete three days of classroom training, have two years of industry experience and commit to continuing education requirements.
The coursework is now being enhanced to reflect the requirements of building to the National Green Building Standard, the consensus standard for green homes, developments and remodeling projects approved by the American National Standards Institute in January.
The CGP designation was introduced in February 2008 during the International Builders' Show and is the fastest growing designation offered by the University of Housing. "That's no surprise to me," Robson said. "NAHB members have always been the leaders of the green building movement."


text:
Israel News - Stay Informed, Pray Informed
First it was oil, then natural gas, now a group believes it has found a commercially-viable concentration of gold in Israel. A few weeks ago, Gulliver Energy Ltd. officially applied for a gold exploration permit in the mountainous area surrounding the southern Israel resort town of Eilat.
Chaired by former Mossad chief Meir Dagan, Gulliver believes, according to past drillings, that the area contains a reasonable amount of gold in concentrations of 3-4 grams per ton. Of course, the company would also expect to find large quantities of other precious metals, like copper. The mountainous regions of southern Israel were famous for their copper mines during Israel's biblical period.
Gulliver has teamed up with Northwood Exploration of Australia to explore the 43 square kilometer (16.6 square mile) area covered by their permit.
Should a large amount of gold and other metals be found, the companies' biggest problem will be that much of southern Israel is designated as nature reserves, and therefore off limits to mining.
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text:
Bill Haley's sermon from Sunday Feb 21, 2017 at The Falls Church Anglican on falling in love with Jesus, and how that is an integral and important first step in following Him.
St. Brendan (ca. 484-577) was one of the most famous of the Celtic pilgrims, renowned not only for the piety of his life and for founding several monasteries in Ireland, but also for his amazing voyages west over the open seas in one of these small boats which were (and still are) called coracles. It is certain that on his longest voyage he and his fellow monks made it as far west as Newfoundland, and there is good reason to believe that he even made it farther south on the North American continent. The written account of his journey, "The Voyage of St. Brendan", became a 'best-seller' for a thousand years as sort of a combination of adventure story and devotional writing. He is considered to be a patron saint of pilgrims and his feast day is May 16. At times, St. Brendan, out on a small boat at seas with his fellow monk, would direct them to pull in the rudder and just let the wind take them where they should go. He said, "Is not God the pilot and sailor of our boats? Leave it to him… he himself guides our journey as he will."
Peregrenatio, the spiritual discipline of pilgrimage, stands as one of the most enduring legacies of the Celtic Christian tradition. Ian Bradley writes in The Celtic Way, "Peregrenatio was the outward symbol of an inner change, a metaphor and a symbol for that journey towards deeper faith and greater holiness and that journey towards God which is the Christian life."
But this journey also had a profoundly outward element. Indeed, in the second half of the first millennium much of northern Europe was evangelized because of these simple, wandering saints who carried little but a Bible and a staff. They were the first to carry the gospel message to N. Europe and founded monasteries in Scotland, England, France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and down into Italy.
Bill Haley's sermon from Sunday Feb 21, 2017 at The Falls Church Anglican on falling in love with Jesus, and how that is an integral and important first step in following Him.
Corhaven is a "retreat home" nestled in the Shenandoah Valley offering solitude and retreats for individuals or larger groups.
Get help for the journey.
Keep up to date.
Need further information? Have a question?
"Corhaven is obviously anointed for its purpose to be a safe place to dwell. Praise Him."
© 2019 Coracle. All rights reserved. | Web Design & Development by CiV Digital


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Anyone who happens to be more than a little irritated that you can't watch all of the Astros games has a friend in George Postolos.
If you're looking at it from a fan perspective, [not televising] games is difficult to understand. We certainly want to do everything we can to encourage our broadcast partner for the season to program their network to appease Astros fans."
Next year, we'll be able to see EVERYTHING on Comcast SportsNet Houston, including a pre-game show where there's a hidden camera in Brad Mills' personal bathroom*.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Postolos feels your pain
2 comments:
Here in OKC I believe we've had a grand total of 1 game televised here this year. Next year will be even worse as I doubt the local cable provider will even pick up the Comcast channel. I would happily buy the Extra Innings package, but MLB blackout rules kill that. I'm stuck watching online streams when I can find them, but even then only about half of the games so far have had even that. It is most definitely not a good time to be an Astros fan in central Oklahoma.
- April 21, 2012 at 7:41 AM
- Astros County said...
+1, MLB! Good work actively preventing fans from watching their favorite team!
- April 21, 2012 at 7:58 AM
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text:
Pedestal Lyrics
I'm looking back on those I once looked up to, and I can't help but feel that I'm looking down. Everyone I've ever admired has left me with nothing. Not even a memory. I remember growing up, and yearning to be just like you. It pains me to admit that I held you in such a high regard, as if my life would mean nothing without your approval. But now I see the error of my ways. All that time spent searching for myself in someone else. I think it's safe to say that I've become everything I wanted to be. And no one can take that from me. All of my heroes have failed me, but I won't ever fail myself. I can't believe how naive I used to be when I never really needed anyone. All of my heroes have failed me, but I won't ever fail myself.


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No. 20 Duke relishes worst-to-first ride
Nobody's laughing at Duke's football program anymore.
The 20th-ranked Blue Devils are playing No. 1 Florida State
Saturday for an ACC championship and an Orange Bowl berth.
Still, it wasn't that long ago when Duke defensive tackle Sydney
Sarmiento heard somebody wondering why the perpetually putrid
program even bothered to field a football team.
"Not the butt of everybody's joke anymore," Sarmiento said
The Blue Devils have made believers out of the Seminoles, who
routed Duke 48-7 last year in Tallahassee, Fla.
"Just as Florida State has bought into coach (Jimbo) Fisher's
coaching, I think those guys have bought into their team,"
Seminoles safety Lamarcus Joyner said. "You just see a group of
guys that believe in each other, and when you have a belief you can
do a lot of wonders. … I just see a team that believes in each
other and has a great coach and some smart players.
"They're on a roll."
Now they have to find a way to beat a Seminoles team that's a
29-point favorite and on track to play for the BCS championship.
They also must figure out how to deal with quarterback Jameis
Winston – the ACC's rookie of the year, a leading Heisman Trophy
candidate and the subject of an ongoing investigation into sexual
assault allegations.
"Our entire season has been based on people telling us what we
can't do," tight end Braxton Deaver said. "`You're last in the
ACC' – oh, that's funny, now we're first in the Coastal
But what looks from the outside like an out-of-nowhere rise
actually has been the product of coach David Cutcliffe's patient
reconstruction project.
"It's not an accident. It's a process," Cutcliffe said.
"Those young men on the 2008 team, '09 team, '10 team all took
part in the development of these seniors and upperclassmen. …
It's not just a year.
"It's not just an event that happened this year."
Picked in the preseason to finish last in the division, Duke
(10-2, 6-2) has already set a school record for victories, captured
its first division title and sewn up the first consecutive bowl
berths in school history.
That's quite a turnaround for a program that went winless four
times from 1996-2007 with two other one-win seasons while setting
the standard for football futility among power-conference schools
during what defensive end Kenny Anunike called "the dark
Deaver said when he arrived in 2010, some long-gone veterans
from the previous regime carried an attitude of "I'm going to get
my degree and get out of here." And according to Anunike, some of
those ex-teammates didn't believe they could win games and instead
went into them hoping merely to keep it close.
"We knew football was on the low end" of the totem pole, said
running back Josh Snead, a Durham native. "We knew it was going to
take time. Coach Cut, when he recruited me, told me, `Just give me
a few years and you'll see the changes."'
Indeed, this Duke program is completely different from the one
Cutcliffe inherited from Ted Roof.
These Blue Devils were built in the weight room – one of
Cutcliffe's first goals upon his hiring was having the players lose
a combined 1,000 pounds during offseason conditioning – and
developed through a patient redshirting process.
Long gone are those days when Duke was pressed into playing most
of its freshmen before they were ready. Of the 52 players on the
offensive and defensive depth charts, 34 have been redshirted at
least once – including each of the 10 offensive linemen, all three
tight ends, and eight of the 10 along the defensive line.
Only four player on the depth chart are in their first year in
the program. Conversely, every offensive lineman is a redshirt
sophomore or older – and the starters along both lines have stayed
healthy enough to start every game.
"That's basically loading your back end," Anunike said. "You
might sacrifice a few opportunities where guys might be able to
play, but (Cutcliffe is) looking at what they'll blossom into later
in their redshirt junior year, redshirt senior year, and see how
much more they'll benefit the program than if they got thrown right
into the fire."
That patience paid off in a most unlikely division title – and a
chance at an even bigger accomplishment this weekend in Charlotte.
Fisher says the Blue Devils caught his eye as a possible opponent
about three weeks ago.
"You see highlights and you see the numbers and what's going
on," Fisher said. "I knew if they got hot, they could be
Follow Joedy McCreary on Twitter at


text:
Rules Beach is named after the Rule family, one of the early pioneering families in the area. Situated on the ocean front, Rules Beach is several miles long and runs the full distance between Baffle Creek and Broadwater creek.
Half an hour to the north are the world famous Discovery Coast areas of Agnes Water and 1770, with Gladstone located a further one and a half hours north, along the Bruce Highway.
Note: Information on listed products and services are provided by the operator and were correct at the time of publishing. Rates are indicative based on the minimum and maximum available prices of products and services. Please visit the operator's website for further information. All prices quoted are in Australian dollars (AUD).


text:
Two-tone beauty case featuring the Shield
Scuderia Ferrari Store Exclusive
This two-tone beauty case with Shield detail is always ready for any adventure.
Made from highly durable technical fabric, guaranteeing top performance, this compact yet extremely spacious accessory is perfect for traveling. The contrasting bottom with quilted padding, which takes its inspiration from F1 drivers' suits, is a simple detail which makes all the difference. The practical handle – with its chevroned Scuderia Ferrari pattern – opens the main compartment featuring a double zip, making the contrasting colors of the iconic Shield stand out.
- Double zip
- Background in a contrasting color and quilted fabric
- Dimensions: 25.5 x 12 x 13.5 cm
- Composition: 100% Polyester
We offer both Standard and Express shipping: choose the service that best meets your needs at checkout.
We provide an easy return service: just ship your items back to us using the UPS return label included in your package within 30 days of delivery.


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Difference between revisions of "Eclipsepedia:Community Portal"
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Revision as of 07:58, 22 August 2012
Visit A Las Vegas Cosmetic Dentist While There
If you're going for an enjoyable weekend break in Las Vegas, you might also prefer to take into account examining up with a Las Vegas cosmetic dentist. If you would certainly like to acquire your veneers replaced or acquire your teeth bleached but do not have the time, that weekend break in Las Vegas should certainly be an excellent time to do it.
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