Chuggnutt!

Month: May 2006

  • My new blog launch: Hack Bend

    I had hinted a while back about a new project I was starting, and I think it’s time to launch and announce it. It’s a new blog called Hack Bend, and it’s purpose is to be an insider’s guide to Bend and Central Oregon. (In fact, the tagline I have on it right now is “Getting the most out of Bend and Central Oregon.” Original, no?)

    There’s always a bit of trepidation in announcing something like this, but I’m excited about it. I’ve got a bunch of ideas and things to write about already, but as I wrote on the About page, “obviously, I can’t claim to have all the answers or know everything there is to know about the area.” One of the things I’m considering is opening it up to multiple authors, making it a group blog—but that would be down the road sometime. In the meantime, anyone who has any hints, advice, stories, or hacks about the area, please let me know! I’d like to make this a definitive website about Bend, and the more contributions I get, the more likely that’ll happen.

    So pop on over and check things out, subscribe to the RSS feed, and become a regular contributor. And let me know what you think!

  • Bill Gates’ house

    Bill Gates’ house: Found this on Wikipedia’s Unusual articles page. Pretty amazing stuff; some things that jumped out at me:

    • Assessed values (as of 2002) of $113 million, with over $1 million in annual property tax
    • 66,000 square feet
    • The wood columns from main floor to roof in entry area are over 70 feet tall.
    • Some of the interior passage doors weigh over 800 lbs, but are balanced for easy use.
    • The roofing is stainless steel.
    • Hidden cameras are everywhere, including the interior stone walls.
    • Gates insisted on saving a 40 year old maple adjacent to the driveway. The tree is monitored electronically 24 hours per day via computer. If it seems dry, it gets just the right amount of water automatically delivered.
    • All woodwork is flawless. Much of the woodwork is of various rare types from all over the world – imported especially for this house.
    • The theater (underground in a concrete shell) is the most state of the art theatre in the world according to specialty contractor.

    Picture? Of course!

    Bill Gates' house, aerial view
    Photo from Flickr

    More photos can be found on this Flickr group.

    I’m not sure I can even get my mind around a place like this. Some of the photos look like a Disneyland attraction.