综合一区欧美国产,99国产麻豆免费精品,九九精品黄色录像,亚洲激情青青草,久久亚洲熟妇熟,中文字幕av在线播放,国产一区二区卡,九九久久国产精品,久久精品视频免费

What happens when Bill and Melinda Gates want their privacy? They buy up the neighborhood.

Over the past decade, representatives for the world's richest man and his wife have purchased 11 properties, including nine houses surrounding their massive lakefront estate in this Seattle suburb.

"This is a family that holds privacy very dearly to them," Gates family spokesman Joe Cerrell told The Seattle Times. "The properties create a buffer around the Gates home."

Gates, the co-founder and chairman of Microsoft Corp., has lived in a $110 million home on the five-acre estate since 1997.

According to property records reviewed by the newspaper, 4.2 acres of adjoining properties were acquired for Gates between 1994 and 2003 at a cost of nearly $14.4 million.

"There's not too many non-Gates property owners left here," said Herb Schwartz, a former insurance executive who moved into the neighborhood 13 years ago.

Neighbors say Gates' employees occupy a number of the homes. At least two are still occupied by people who sold their property to Gates in 2003.

But not everyone has welcomed the changes. Paulla Upjohn, who has lived in the neighborhood since 1951, said Gates' purchases have caused more traffic on the narrow streets.

"I have been very happy with them as people," she said. "But it's changed the neighborhood."

Close

Today's Top News		Top Lifestyle News
+WHO: Bird flu death rises to 15; vaccination recommended ( 2004-02-05) +Solana: EU ready to lift China arms embargo ( 2004-02-05) +Nation tops TV, cell phone, monitor production ( 2004-02-05) +Absence ... still makes China hot ( 2004-02-05) +Hu: Developing world in key role ( 2004-02-04)		+Proceedings in China's first-ever lawsuit over copyright ( 2004-02-05) +Pouring your heart out to the girl pouring your beer ( 2004-02-05) +Free rides costing Shanghai bus firms ( 2004-02-05) +Worker says Jackson rehearsal was tamer ( 2004-02-05) +CBS to use tape delay for Grammy telecast ( 2004-02-04)