The White House Office of Urban Affairs and the Domestic Policy Council host a roundtable about the future of America’s urban and metropolitan areas. In his remarks, the President addresses some of the challenges facing these communities, and highlights innovative solutions. July 13, 2009. (Public Domain)
Duration : 0:13:57
Federal CTO Aneesh Chopra, CIO Vivek Kundra, Diana Farrell of the National Economic Council, and Tom Kalil of OSTP take your questions about innovation in the Fiscal Year 2011 budget. February 3, 2010.
Duration : 0:43:6
Vice President Biden and President Obama speak to the U.S. Conference of Mayors about sustaining economic growth and creating new jobs in communities large and small. January 21, 2010.
Duration : 0:17:58
You can see various videos of starlings, and people are feeding them and treating them like pets or other birds. Many people think they are simply cute birds without knowing anything about them. However, people need to educate themselves about starlings, as they are basically cockroaches with wings. They do NOT belong in the U.S., and are categorized as a nuisance to society, pests to the environment, and are a threat to native birds. As a result, they are one of the few birds not protected in the U.S. by laws, or even the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.
Starlings are vicious birds that harass and scare native birds off from feeding sites. They are a major threat to the natural habitat of many birds, such as woodpeckers, martins, barnswallows, waxwings, flickers, jays, and song birds such as grosbeaks. Starlings will even attack nests, eggs, and young chicks of other species. (There are great examples of nasty starling attacks here on YouTube.) Starlings have voracious apetites, and not only crowd out other birds at feeders, but require bird watchers to put out food more frequently for native birds in effort to prevent food shortages caused by starlings.
Unfortunately, European starlings were brought over to the U.S. from Europe (and released to Central Park in NYC) back in the late 1800’s, and they have spread like the plague ever since. The situation is not the starling’s fault, but nonetheless, it does not change the fact that starlings must still be effectively dealt with.
There have been many attempts to eliminate the starling problem by traps, but most starlings are smart enough to avoid them, and if native birds get caught in the trap, then they must be released unharmed. As a result, traps are not effective at eliminating starling problems, and they are more likely to interfere with native birds. Others have tried to use sirens and other ridiculous noise contraptions to get rid of them, but such measures are anemic and pathetic, as starlings simply get used to the noise. Such noises are more likely to disturb your neighbors than they are the starlings. What little effect sirens or other noises will have on starlings will also be equally effective at scaring off native birds, and therefore, are highly ineffective at eliminating starling problems. Even if sirens and other noise contraptions were even remotely effective, the problem would only be swept under the rug, as the starlings simply move on to wreak havoc in another neighborhood. Some have tried to get rid of starlings by putting poison in bird food, but this should be avoided, as poison would kill off native birds as well, and really would not be a humane way to get rid of starlings.
Moreover, none of these solutions actually eliminate the threat of starlings anyway. What makes things even more challenging, are scenarios where people are putting out food out for native birds and squirrels. As if the situation could not be worse, starlings also have multiple clutches per year, and lay many eggs, allowing starlings to overrun food supply and peaceful birds, while starling population growth destabilizes the natural habitat.
I enjoy feeding and watching birds as much as the next person, but starlings must be dealt with head on. The only effective and humane way to rid starlings from neighborhoods is to shoot them. However, most people are uninformed and / or incapable of dealing with starlings.
I use a .22 cal. Condor, and a shroud to eliminate report. My rifle is scoped and zeroed for 60 yards, but I use a laser for quick target acquisition at shorter ranges. The Condor is highly accurate, efficient, extremely quiet (when used with a shroud), and it allows death to be instantaneous to prevent cruelty. It is such an effective setup, that you can quickly get rid of starlings without disturbing other birds from feeding and socializing. You can safely take out starlings without other birds knowing whats going on.
The starling in this video is the last one in a group of 5 that I took out while it was on one of my feeders, and it was killed instantly. As a result, I have already noticed an increase of visits by native birds, which will be maintained until (if / when) the next group of starlings show up in the neighborhood.
Starling numbers multiply much faster than most other birds, which is one of the reasons why there are so many of them across the U.S. The key to ridding your neighborhood of starlings is to kill as many as you can, and as quickly and efficiently as you can without disturbing native birds or your neighbors. Doing so will help mitigate having to kill more offspring later on. If you have a bunch of them, just keep killing them very efficiently without scaring them off, and before you know it, you will notice a major improvement to the natural bird habitat in your neighborhood.
Duration : 0:0:12
Matt Stigliano
http://www.rerockstar.com
Located about 2 miles outside Loop 1604 on Culebra Road/FM 471, Stillwater Ranch promises to be an incredible master planned community on the citys Northwest side. With homes by Wall Homes, Imagine Homes, and New Leaf Homes, the community boasts tennis courts, a basketball court, and a luscious pool in their amenity center. With the growth to our Northwest, this neighborhood will be a shining example of beautiful building styles combined with smart energy efficient and green building technology.
I recently visited the Imagine Homes model and it is incredible. The Lilac model from Imagine homes, this model is perfectly appointed to showcase the gorgeous design dreamt up by Imagine Homes including rock and wood details throughout the home, a wrought iron and wood staircase, a media room, an amazing cooks kitchen, and much more.
If you visit the model, be sure to check out the attic. Using spray foam insulation on the roofing, the temperature in the attic is comfortable. You know how hot your attic gets, imagine being able to work in there and store your Christmas decorations without worrying what was going to melt (it was 100 outside when I went in the house).
Duration : 0:1:30
One-Level Living in the Carvalho Condominiums
Costa Pacific Communities Presents Villebois Village Center in Wilsonville, Oregon
The first of its kind in Wilsonville, Oregons award-winning Villebois Village Center, the Lagos floor plan in the communitys Carvalho Condominiums offers buyers one-level living at an affordable price. Achieving Platinum certification in green building through Earth Advantage, the Lagos features two bedrooms and two bathrooms and a spacious great room floor plan with gas fireplace and other desirable amenities.
Visit Villebois.com or call 866-580-2836 to learn more about the Villebois Village Center.
Video Created By www.KineticKnowledge.com
Duration : 0:1:2
Existing suburbs and single-family neighborhoods in the USA, Canada, and around the world? Will they be demolished and people move into downtown areas or Smart Growth and New Urbanism projects? And what will be the dominant form of transportation?
No, the suburban sprawl will just reach farther and farther outside the city limits. Not sure on the dominant form of transportation, but my bet is on trains and subways.
Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Denver, New York, and their metro areas look like in 20 years and what will happen to the suburbs, single-family neighborhoods, freeways, existing businesses, etc. in 20 years and how will most people get around? Will these places shrink, get larger, look the same, or what?
You have all these Smart Growth and New Urbanist developments going up, mixed-use places being built, alternative transportation projects being established, transit-oriented developments going up, etc. As for me, I like living in a house and using a car to get around, although I do support alternative fuel sources.
Who knows….if I could see into the future I would be a very rich man….or dead
EYA is constructing the nations largest LEED for Homes certified neighborhood at Capitol Quarter a smart growth community in Washington DC and a national model for smart growth. Public housing, workforce homes, and luxury Capitol Hill townhomes blend seamlessly in this urban location, all within walking distance to DCs best shopping, dining, and entertainment venues. To celebrate the first move-ins, EYA was joined by Mayor Fenty, Michael Kelly of DCHA and over 100 others for the ribbon cutting ceremony on 8/26. To learn more about the community and how you can move-in, visit eya.com.
Duration : 0:4:22
What will our cities and towns look like in 20 years and what will happen to the following (existing stuff):
1. Existing cities and towns
2. Suburbs and single-family neighborhoods
3. Existing streets
4. Existing businesses such as shopping centers, grocery stores, gas stations, etc.
5. Existing freeways
6. Existing airports
7. Car travel
8. Air travel
9. Technology and a future hi-tech society
What will be the dominant form of transportation and will the majority of people live in the Smart Growth and New Urbanist developments? And what will happen to single-family homes?
The existing stuff will still be there, but the new developments will be different.