Month: February 2015

Oregon Business Magazine

Putting the Brakes on Bend’s Traffic

Tor Hanson

Originally published in Oregon Business Magazine November 2000 It’s rush hour, and traffic is building along Wall Street, the main east-west thoroughfare in downtown Bend. Some 18,000 cars pass through the city’s narrow downtown streets each day, nearly a third of them during the afternoon rush. It’s a routine that’s frustrated area communters since Bend began to boom in the late 80s. Relief may be on the way, though, as transportation issues are dominating public debate. On Nov. 7, Bend voters will consider a $7 million, five-year transportation tax to help fund public transit, sidewalk construction, bike lanes and other … Continue reading Putting the Brakes on Bend’s Traffic

Boys Life Magazine

Why stop for gas? Air Force jets refuel on the fly

Tor Hanson

Originally published in Boys’ Life – November 2002 SGT. Bill Edwards is one of the Air Force’s friendly gas station attendants. But he won’t be checking oil or replacing wiper blades on this job. It’s hard enough just getting the fuel where it needs to go – 22,000 feet in the air. Sgt. Edwards is a boom operator who refuels jets all across the world while they’re still in flight. The Air Force depends on experienced aircrews and a fleet of KC-10 Extender and KC-135 Stratotanker planes to fill tanks when they run low. There isn’t room for error. Bad … Continue reading Why stop for gas? Air Force jets refuel on the fly

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TV news reporter Warren Petrie takes his job to another level

Tor Hanson

Originally published in Boys’ Life – March 2001 Warren Petrie puts his helicopter in a hover. On the ground 1,000 feet below, flames from a ruptured gas pipeline shoot high into the air. The powerful camera under the helicopter zooms in on firefighters beating back the inferno. Mr. Petrie moves News Chopper 6 over to photograph the freight train that derailed then cut the nearby gas pipeline, turning night into day with exploding gas. Police are also on the scene, as well as reporters from the local television stations. But Mr. Petrie has the best view of the accident. So … Continue reading TV news reporter Warren Petrie takes his job to another level

Blog Articles

Protect Your Digital Booty

Tor Hanson

Originally published April 26, 2013 Landlubbers, beware! Hackers from all over the world have raised their pirate flags at every port on the Internet. With cannons ablaze, they’re looking for ways to steal your email account, get into your computer and access your phone. Most modern pirates don’t sail the seven seas looking for ships to plunder. They sit in front of a computer and steal all the loot they can get their hands on. Often the only thing that keeps them from stealing your stuff is a strong password. “The most important part when it comes to password safety … Continue reading Protect Your Digital Booty

Blog Articles

Smoke, Mirrors & the Internet

Tor Hanson

Originally published May 30, 2013 “Ladies and gentlemen, step right up to the booth! Winning is easy! All you have to do is to hit this button and claim the cute teddy bear as your prize.” The carney in the midway isn’t the only slick talker out to separate people from their money. Tricksters and con men are holding shop on the Internet. There are 644 million active websites on the Net, according to Internet analysis and security firm Netcraft.  No one knows for sure how many of those sites are legitimate and how many are malicious. “Malicious websites don’t … Continue reading Smoke, Mirrors & the Internet

Blog Articles

Password Safety Tips

Tor Hanson

Originally published January 17, 2013 We live in a digitized world. Paying bills, checking your bank account, and socializing used to be done in safe, private settings. Today we hop onto the Internet to manage social networking, apply for jobs or pay bills. To be safe, you need to protect your personal information with secure passwords. BendBroadband’s Information Security Officer, Matt Shaffer, explains: “The length of the password is currently more important than the complexity. The majority of password-cracking software can break an eight-character passwords within minutes.” In recent attacks on the professional networking site LinkedIn and dating site eHarmony, … Continue reading Password Safety Tips

Blog Articles

Practice Makes Perfect

Tor Hanson

Originally published December 22, 2014 Ever wondered what it takes to be a broadband installer? It’s a yearlong process to master the ins and outs of the job. Only practice makes perfect. At the entrance to a crawl space, Eric Thompson puts on his blue crawl suit. His mission: to replace a faulty cable splitter somewhere under the house. He pulls a protective mask over his mouth and nose. Thompson has been an installer for BendBroadband for almost a year. The old adage “practice makes perfect” guides BendBroadband’s installation department. We want to be sure everything is perfect when our installers … Continue reading Practice Makes Perfect