text:
One of the most important recent discoveries in Middle Eastern archeology has been the identification of a site on the east bank of the River Jordan, near the Dead Sea, as Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan, the place where John the Baptist lived, and where he most likely baptized Jesus Christ. Archeologists have uncovered a wealth of sites – 21 at the last count – along Wadi Kharrar, a small side-valley of reeds and flowing water that runs for 2km from its source down to the River Jordan. These discoveries – eleven Byzantine churches, five baptismal pools from the Roman and Byzantine periods, caves of monks and hermits, and lodges for pilgrims – plus a wealth of medieval accounts of pilgrims and travellers to the area, rapidly convinced both Jordanian and international opinion as to the veracity of the site.
This is almost the lowest point on earth, over 350m below sea level; the air is thick, hot and heavy. On the banks of the Wadi Kharrar, you're in the midst of the biblical Plains of Moab; views across the baked ground, punctuated by the occasional wizened tree, enable you to pick out individual buildings and cars in the Palestinian city of Jericho, across what is now an international border. Underfoot is a soft, chalky marl that seems to deaden sound; only when you get close to Wadi Kharrar itself can you hear the chirping of birds and the soughing of the dense beds of reeds and tamarisk that line the watercourse. Flanking the River Jordan itself is a jungle-like thicket, tropically hot and humid – more akin to Southeast than Southwest Asia.
When to visitVisiting outside winter (Nov–Feb) means that you'll have to cope with scorching temperatures, often topping 45°C in summer. The best advice is to arrive at 8am and explore in the relative cool of the morning. There can also be lots of flies. Nonetheless, for its historical resonance, natural austerity and religious power, this is an extraordinary place.
Biblical accounts of the Baptism SiteThis stretch of desolate plain flanking the River Jordan has been a focus for spirituality since Old Testament times: Judaism, Christianity and Islam all recall momentous events which took place in this relatively small part of the southern Jordan Valley. The first mention is in Genesis, when Lot separated from Abraham and "chose the plain of Jordan" to pitch his tents, after which Jacob wrestled with God a little way north at Penuel. A sizeable proportion of the Book of Numbers is set at the Israelites' camp, "pitched in the plains of Moab by Jordan opposite Jericho", following which Moses delivers a long address in Deuteronomy before going up "from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo", where he died. Joshua led the tribes across the river, which miraculously halted its flow, an event mirrored centuries later in 2 Kings, when the prophets Elijah and Elisha again stopped the flow of the river, as a chariot and horses of fire took Elijah up to heaven – according to ancient tradition, from the rounded hillock alongside Wadi Kharrar now known as Tell Mar Elyas (Elijah's Hill).
It was because of the associations with the prophet Elijah that, a thousand years later, John, an ascetic holy man with a prophetic vision, took up residence near the same hillock, using the numerous small springs of sweet water to symbolically cleanse people of sin; locals soon flocked to this John the Baptist. Most biblical mentions describe the baptisms taking place "in Jordan", which probably referred loosely to this general area. The River Jordan, which often flooded to a width of 1km or more, would have been deep and rapid (in Aramaic, yardeen – from which "Jordan" is derived – means "fast-flowing water"), offering no easy access from the often steep bank. By contrast, the dozens of tiny side-springs, some of which rise within pools barely 100m from the river, are protected and more manageable as immersion points.
The Gospel of St John mentions "Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan, where John was baptizing"; the spot – unconnected with Bethany near Jerusalem – was also known as Bethabara or Beit-Abara, "the House of the Crossing-Point". A later account says that Jesus "returned again across the Jordan to the place where John had first started baptizing". There is no explicit mention of when or where John baptized Jesus, but the accumulated weight of tradition and historical evidence places it in or near Wadi Kharrar, with plentiful supplies of spring water, alongside the Roman road between Jericho and Nebo (thereby within easy reach of potential converts), but far enough out of reach to mean that John could criticize King Herod with impunity.
Pilgrim accounts of the Baptism SiteAs early as 333 AD, the anonymous Pilgrim of Bordeaux identified the site of Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan as lying five Roman miles (just under 7.5km) north of the Dead Sea, corresponding almost exactly to the point where the Wadi Kharrar enters the river: "here is a place by the river, a little hill on the far bank, where Elijah was caught up into heaven". From then on, many ancient texts mention several churches in the same area dedicated to John the Baptist and Elijah. The sixth-century pilgrim Theodosius described the riverside "Church of St John, which the emperor Anastasius built [in about 500 AD]; this church is very lofty, being built above chambers on account of the flooding of the Jordan" – a description which corresponds almost exactly with one of the churches uncovered recently. Other pilgrims at this time talked of the whole valley being "full of hermits". The place was important enough to merit inclusion on the Madaba mosaic map.
The accounts continued through the Middle Ages, with Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan taking its place in a pilgrimage route linking Jerusalem, Jericho, Hesban and Mount Nebo. From the twelfth to the eighteenth century, Bethany was home to Greek Orthodox monks, who were reported still to be present as late as the beginning of the twentieth century (the whole site is still in the custody of the Greek Orthodox Church), but most ruins lay undiscovered while knowledge of the whereabouts of Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan faded from collective memory.
Archeological investigations at Tell Mar Elias and along Wadi Kharrar had to be abandoned at the outbreak of war in 1948, and for many years the site lay in a militarized border zone. It was only after the 1994 peace treaty between Jordan and Israel that the area could be swept for landmines and again opened for study. The momentous discoveries that rapidly followed convinced the Jordanian authorities, and then the broad mass of specialist opinion worldwide, that the long-lost "Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan" had been rediscovered.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
SAT Stoicizmo - Mah 2
01 9:36:57 Po Srednjeevropskom Vremenu (15:08)
02 Avionom (12:17)
03 Nehaj (14:04)
04 Futur Egzaktni (18:40)
""There's nothing more satisfying than reeling in a big one after waiting all afternoon," said a friend of mine about fishing. Some dudes shoot huge animals out in the wilderness to satisfy themselves. Maybe I'm effeminate or something, but I'd rather hunt for weird records than living things. I won't lie and say there's no greater satisfaction, but it feels pretty awesome to discover an incredible band that nobody's heard of.
That's why the internet is kinda annoying for music fans like me. It makes everything too easy. If you have a keyword to google, you can find more than you ever wanted to know about any genre, band or label. It's like the fish jumped out of the water onto your boat, it just feels like cheating.
So my favorite way to discover new music has become to scour through used sections and chancing on what catches my eye. Maybe you'll say that I'm only judging a book (or record) by its cover. I prefer to imagine myself in the highlands of Ontario, shotgun in hand while my faithful Llewellin Setter follows the scent of the elusive Ruffled Grouse. The Llewelin Setter are the liner notes and the scent is the "what the fuck?!" factor.
The Ruffled Grouse is SAT Stoicizmo's Mah 2, one of my favorite catches. I found it a few years ago in the experimental section at Generation records in NYC. I won't give you the full dig on the band here, but you can look at the text from the liner notes or a good article recently posted on Last Sigh. For now, I'll just pique your interest by observing that they are the best Croatian futurist experimentalists to emerge in the early 80s - to my knowledge at least, but I guess I don't know that much about the Croatian futurist scene. Originally released in '85, the excellent Artware label repressed 480 (or 500, depending on where you check) double lps and 500 cds in '97; both of these are pretty tough to find today. I'll give my money back guarantee that you haven't heard anything like it before.
Also check out their Jacati Tijelo Sportom EP, which was recently posted on the Mutant Sounds blog.
- Contributed by: Nash Rose
Images: Front Cover, Back Cover, 9:36:57 Po Srednjeevropskom Vremenu, Avionom, Nehaj, Futur Egzaktni


text:
CRS: Ethanol Imports and the Caribbean Basin Initiative, March 18, 2008
From WikiLeaks
About this CRS report
This document was obtained by Wikileaks from the United States Congressional Research Service.
The CRS is a Congressional "think tank" with a staff of around 700. Reports are commissioned by members of Congress on topics relevant to current political events. Despite CRS costs to the tax payer of over $100M a year, its electronic archives are, as a matter of policy, not made available to the public.
Individual members of Congress will release specific CRS reports if they believe it to assist them politically, but CRS archives as a whole are firewalled from public access.
This report was obtained by Wikileaks staff from CRS computers accessible only from Congressional offices.
For other CRS information see: Congressional Research Service.
For press enquiries, consult our media kit.
If you have other confidential material let us know!.
For previous editions of this report, try OpenCRS.
Wikileaks release: February 2, 2009
Publisher: United States Congressional Research Service
Title: Ethanol Imports and the Caribbean Basin Initiative
CRS report number: RS21930
Author(s): Brent D. Yacobucci, Resources, Science, and Industry Division
Date: March 18, 2008
- Abstract
- Fuel ethanol consumption has grown significantly in the past several years, and it will continue to grow with the establishment of a renewable fuel standard (RFS) in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-58) and the expansion of that RFS in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-140). This standard requires U.S. transportation fuels to contain a minimum amount of renewable fuel, including ethanol. Most of the U.S. market is supplied by domestic refiners producing ethanol from American corn. However, imports play a small but growing role in the U.S. market. One reason for the relatively small role is a 2.5% ad valorem tariff and (more significantly) a 54-cent-per-gallon added duty on imported ethanol. These duties offset an economic incentive of 51 cents per gallon for the use of ethanol in gasoline. However, to promote development and stability in the Caribbean region and Central America, the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) allows the imports of most products, including ethanol, duty-free. While many of these products are produced in CBI countries, ethanol entering the United States under the CBI is generally produced elsewhere and reprocessed in CBI countries for export to the United States. The U.S.- Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) would maintain this duty-free treatment and set specific allocations for imports from Costa Rica and El Salvador. Duty-free treatment of CBI ethanol has raised concerns, especially as the market for ethanol has the potential for dramatic expansion under P.L. 109-58 and P.L. 110-140.
- Download


text:
The World's #1 All-In-One Email Newsletter Service, Online Shopping Cart, Auto-Responder,
Contact Database, & Online Business Management System ...
You're About To Discover The Easiest & Fastest
System For Growing a Massive Email List,
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Your Products & Services Over The Internet, Promote Your
Own Teleseminars & Webinars, And Have Your Very Own
Online Business - Even If You Don't Have a Website Yet…"
(Click the Play button and turn up your speakers)
Christian Mickelsen
From The Desk of:
Dan Janal, Internet Marketing and Publicity Expert
Dear Business Professional,
Here are 3 powerful keys to growing your business…
#1: Stay in touch with your prospective customers on a regular basis.
Having your own professional looking email newsletter is the most effective way of keeping in touch with your audience, winning their trust, and getting them to want to do business with you.
These days everyone has their own newsletters.
#2: Keep your systems simple.
Computers and the Internet are great tools that lower the cost of doing business. Remember the old days when you had to hire people to do the work that computers do easily? The same is true with taking orders, running sales reports and keeping in touch with customers. The right tools can make your job very easy!
#3: Keep your costs low.
The old saying goes "You have to spend money to make money." But that doesn't mean you have to pay more than you need to. Unfortunately, some people who are just starting out and building their businesses are buying two or three good services because they don't know that one service can do the work of all three services! Don't fall in to the trap of paying for three services when one service can do it all for you – and do it better!
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I Didn't Think I Needed A Shopping Cart Until I Got Bigger.
But I Was Wrong.
I was an in-demand public speaker. I'd speak all over the world. From Beijing, to Budapest to Boston – and all across the US and Canada. I really had a business that operated in the real world and I didn't make sales online. But I used the Internet to send out newsletters and to manage my list of subscribers. So I bought one product for about $25 a month.
Then the gurus told me that people don't buy the first time they visit your website, so you have to stay in touch with them on a regular basis with marketing messages that urge people to buy. So I bought another product for about $25 a month.
Then I found that people wanted to buy my books and CDs and training materials after they heard me speak. So I needed to find a way to accept credit card online. So I bought a shopping cart for about $50 a month.
Those were all good steps – and you might have done the same thing.
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Then I discovered that my shopping cart could do the work of all the other products! It could send out my newsletters and it could send out automated sales messages. But I found out that I could do all this and just pay one low fee, not three!
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I put all the info into my shopping cart
I cancelled the other services
I "bought" the company! No really, I signed up to be a "private license reseller" which means I can promote and sell this shopping cart and earn commissions when people buy. How's that for being honest?
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- Take orders through the Internet simply and easily
- Create products and send them digitally to new buyers automatically
If you are afraid of learning a new program or setting up a new service, don't worry. My Easy Online Store is very easy to use.
(Click the Play button and turn up your speakers)
Linda Claire Puig
Many business owners who are new to the Internet are paralyzed by fear of making the wrong choice of how take money online. Now you don't have to worry because you'll have the best shopping cart system working for you.
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You tell My Easy Online Store when you want to send the message, for example, every 7 days
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Your customers will find your messages in their email boxes. If you have 100 customers or 1,000 customers, it won't take you any more time than if you have 1 customer! Plus, My Easy Online Store will work with PayPal as your payment processor. So you can continue to use Pay Pal to make sales and you can use My Easy Online Store to follow up with customers to make MORE sales!
Dan, What Questions Should I Be Asking?
Here are common questions our clients asked us before ordering the My Easy Online Store system:
I'm just starting out and not making a large number of sales. Is it too soon for me to buy My Easy Online Store?
Now is the perfect time to get started. Here's why. You need to stay in touch with your prospects and your customers. My Easy Online Store lets you do that easily and it will grow with you as you get bigger.
Can't I use a newsletter service to stay in touch with my customers?
Newsletter companies do one thing very well – send out newsletters. But when you want to stay in touch with your customers on a regular basis, or if you want to send them special announcements, or if you want to send a message to just a portion of your customer base, those services fall short. Also, you'd have to manage two sets of customer databases – one that is in your shopping cart, full of buyers; and the other database that is full of prospects and some buyers.
One of the first rules of efficiency in business is to NOT do the same thing twice if you can handle it one time. That's where MyEasyOnlineStore can help you save time and money
I'm using PayPal to accept orders but I like your automated marketing and messaging system. Can I still use PayPal?
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I don't have the ability to accept credit cards. What can I do?
You can use PayPal to make sales. Or you can consider the offer you'll receive when you check out to consider a merchant services company designed specifically for, and used by, thousands of online merchants and marketers just like you..
I'm happy with PayPal. Why should I add My Easy Online Store?
PayPal is great for making sales. But PayPal doesn't help with your marketing. My Easy Online Store will help you make more sales by letting you send out marketing messages to your customers. See the chart on this page for all the other services that My Easy Online Store offers but PayPal doesn't.
What if it doesn't work for me?
No problem. You can cancel the service at any time. And you can export any customer and subscriber data or sales letters you created before you leave.
It seems expensive.
There are three versions of My Easy Online Store, so you can order the one that's right for you. If you add up the costs of all the other programs you'd need to replace My Easy Online Store, you'd be surprised as how inexpensive this service really is! A newsletter service is $25 a month. An autoresponder service is $25 a month. A system to do sales reports or testing marketing messages could cost several thousand dollars! But they are all included in My Easy Online Store.
I'm wary of the sneaky kind of Internet Marketer. This system won't force me to betray myself, will it?
No way! In fact, My Easy Online Store will help you look MORE professional. Any message you send will have your own style because you wrote it. You aren't going to look "slick" or "manipulative" because you are in control over each and every message you send your customers.
I'm using Constant Contact for newsletters and Aweber for autoresponders. Why should I switch to MyEasyOnlineStore?
Those are fine products, but they duplicate what you can get for much less money when you use MyEasyOnlineStore. Why pay for three services when one will do the same work as the others – and much, much more? If you really love one of those products and can't live without it, that's okay too, because MyEasyOnlineStore does so much more for you. For example, those services can't process orders. For that, you need a shopping cart. Then consider that MyEasyOnlineStore does things that many of the other services can't do, like ad tracking, split testing, affiliate management and the list goes on and on.
I'm considering using 1 Shopping Cart, which is used by many people online. How does your service compare to theirs?
It's the same! My Easy Online Store is actually a private brand of 1 Shopping Cart. The fees are the same. The services are the same. And the follow up support and training is the same. You'll be their customer and they'll treat you as one of their own.
I'm not selling anything now. Should I wait until I have products to sell, or get started now?
Yes, you should start now because you can use My Easy Online Store to build your mailing list. People who are on your mailing list will eventually buy from you. So you want to have one easy-to-use system to manage that for you.
Which version do I need? There are so many choices!
Most people do very well with the basic package. You can always upgrade if you need to. If you plan on selling digital products, then go with the advanced package.
See the chart below for differences between the different levels of service:
|Package Prices
$349 annually
|$39 monthly*
$399 annually
|$69 monthly*
$699 annually
|$129 monthly*
$1,299 annually
Unlimited autoresponders
Unlimited follow-ups per autoresponder
Unlimited broadcast e-mail messages
Product-specific autoresponders
Automatic subscribe/unsubscribe email processing
E-Mail delivery rates for opened (HTML only) delivered/failed/removed
Each autoresponder series has its own subscribe-by-email address
Real-time tracking for subscribes, opt-ins, and removes
Personalize all messages with 10 Custom + 21 standard fields for autoresponders/broadcast
Send plain text or HTML email
Multi-part MIME email support
Easy custom opt-in form generator
Double opt-in system that can be turned on or off
Customize your own double opt-in message
Schedule when you want your future broadcasts to be sent (by date AND time)
Easy to use Ezine/Newsletter management
Send test messages to preview your e-mails
Automatic new subscriber notices
Automatically identifies invalid email addresses
Bounced email manager
Spam-Score your messages before sending
Individual Spam Protection. Our system automatically captures IP address from all forms
Use your own 'From' name and email address
Maximum email delivery guaranteed with our virtual IP rotation, intelligent queuing algorithm, and per-domain controls that maximizes message delivery to the inbox
Incredible delivery speeds. Our email applications servers are designed to handle over 1 million messages per hour
Pop-up email capture. Automaticlly captures your prospects email address without having to fill out a form.
Easy to use pop-up generator
CAN-SPAM Act compliant
Shopping cart buy links and buttons, ads, and affiliate traffic can be pointed from your own domain name.
Track every aspect of your online marketing
Calculate cost-per-click, per-sale, and click-to-sale ratios for each ad
Split-Run ad tracking
Rotate up to 3 different landing pages
Real-time click-through reporting
Track sales/leads per campaign
Download reports right into Excel
No programming skills required
No software to install
Secure and Certified HTTPS/SSL Shopping Cart
Secure admin access
Easily integrates into your existing website
Accept payment in any currency
Comprehensive client management
Import/Export your clients/prospects
Bulk upload products
Import/Export existing products
Order fraud protection with encrypted image processing
Inventory tracking
Multiple email order notifications
Export orders to QuickBooks
Custom Tax Table - US, Canada, VAT Compatible
Taxable/Non taxable products
Automated product up-sell module, featured and related products
Multiple discount options, including order, quantity and free shipping
Comprehensive Coupon Management
Custom 'Thank-You' pages
Comprehensive sales analysis tools
Custom look and feel - Your colors, logo, background
Run multiple web sites from same account
Product On-Sale pricing
Multiple Product Options, all price affecting
Assign product to multiple categories and subcategories
Product Bundle offering
Integrated IP, Credit Card and email blacklist blocking
Customizable checkout fields
API Access to products, orders and clients
Support for up to 6 different shipping methods
Ship by price, quantity or weight
Add handling charges
Offer free shipping
Real-time UPS/USPS shipping calculation
Supports international shipping
Support for over 50+ payment gateways
Multiple payments options including PayPal
Integrated PayPal IPN technology
Offer alternate order options for declined credit card orders
Offline credit card processing
Support for refunds/partial refunds
Automated recurring billing system
Auto bill membership or recurring products
Automatic creation of recurring billing upon purchase of a product.
Manually set-up recurring billing for a customer.
Set-up any number of billing installments
Ability to set-up any number of billing cycles
Apply commissions to first order only
1-Click Upsell Technology
Post-Sale Upsell
Full Creative Control
Upsell Funnels to display multiple offers to each customer
Downsell when a customer declines one of your offers
Track offer and funnel conversions
Full Performance Reporting
Never lose the original sale
Import/export existing database
Pay by product, affiliate, sales, clicks, or leads
Single or two-tiered commissions
Recurring commissions support
Customize commission rate for each affiliate
Custom destination URL for each affiliate
Auto-Generation of banner link codes
Customize affiliate pages and emails (Header and Footer files)
Send email broadcasts or updates to your affiliates
Export affiliate commissions to QuickBooks
Credit affiliates for offline sales
Turn on/off sale notification message to affiliate
Control email messages to new affiliates
Affiliate interface customization
Support for multiple websites
Affiliate Media Center for offering and distributing marketing Collateral to your affiliates.
|Digital Downloads
Unlimited bandwidth for digital & ebook downloads
Secure digital product & ebook delivery
Automatic download creation and expiration
Digital product & ebook licensing
Online tutorials and user guide
Support available by e-mail and telephone***
Client database limit
|Up to 2,500 clients (upgrades available to 1 Million)
|Up to 10,000 clients (upgrades available to 1 Million)
|Up to 10,000 clients (upgrades available to 1 Million)
|Up to 10,000 clients (upgrades available to 1 Million)
Your Investment Options
|Start Now!
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**A $0.25 USD fee charged for each recurring order.
***Most forms of live telephone support involve a small fee.
Now You Can Look As Big As A "Big Company"
And Here's Why That's Important
On the Internet, no one knows if you are really a credible company or a con artist. Having the world's best shopping cart goes a long way to showing your customers that you care enough about them to offer them the very best shopping cart, with built-in security and fraud protection. When you align yourself with the best in the business, people see you as being a brand leader and a company they can comfortably do business with.
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(Click the Play button and turn up your speakers)
Bill Baren
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text:
When it was released, in 1988, "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" seemed like a glorious one-off. Robert Zemeckis's marriage of live action and animation — the marriage was more like living in sin, actually, or at least it was whenever Jessica Rabbit showed up — wasn't the first time filmed actors had appeared in the same frame with animated characters. Remember Gene Kelly dancing with Tom and Jerry, in "Anchors Aweigh"? But never had a feature-length film indulged so fully, let alone so frantically, in mixing and matching.
What's now evident, with this week's release of the two-disc "Who Framed Roger Rabbit: 25th Anniversary Edition" on DVD and Blu-ray, is that Zemeckis's film was less one-off than way station. What's now (rightly) thought of as the Pixar revolution in animation can be seen to have had a precursor in a certain bunny-titled release from another Disney affiliate, Touchstone.
Pixar wouldn't release its first feature, "Toy Story," for another seven years. What people focused on then was the studio's pioneering use of computer animation. But no less impressive was that film's inspired wit and sophisticated storytelling, both far more developed than viewers were accustomed to in feature animation.
Ezra Pound famously declared that poetry had to be as well written as prose. The achievement of Pixar has been to show that animation can be a match for live action in terms of emotion and intelligence and humor. Well, "Roger Rabbit" did it first — only without computers and, you might say, only halfway. After all, half of the movie was live action.
The impact of "Roger Rabbit" on animation got obscured because of a quirk of Hollywood history. Disney animation began its highly successful comeback the very next year, with "The Little Mermaid." A string of hits followed: "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin," "The Lion King." They seemed to be taking feature animation in a new direction. Looking back, one can see that those films, rather than marking a departure, were instead a culmination. (In fairness to Disney, Robin Williams's genie, in "Aladdin," is like one long, helium-filled outtake from "Roger Rabbit.") As we now can see, the great breakthrough — the new chapter in feature animation — came with Pixar and "Toy Story." Zemeckis's film was its prologue.
Gary K. Wolf's 1981 novel, "Who Censored Roger Rabbit?," provided the basis for the film. In the novel, most of the nonhuman characters come from comic strips rather than movie animation. It's only fitting, of course, that the film version should make that shift. One of the glories of the movie is how it serves as a veritable United Nations of animation. There are cameos by numerous famous characters from both Disney and Warner Bros.'s Looney Tunes, not to mention such outliers as Woody Woodpecker and Betty Boop (who looks distinctly askance at Jessica Rabbit). You would not want to have been the rights person on "Roger Rabbit" tasked with getting clearances. The legal labors were worth it, though. Getting to see Donald Duck and Daffy Duck in the same frame, and Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny, is like finding Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio playing in the same outfield.
The title "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" is a pun. Roger, an imaginary popular cartoon character of the '40s (virtuosically voiced by Charles Fleischer), gets framed all the time in his line of work. But besides the film frame, there's also framed in the sense of being falsely accused of a crime. That's where the live-action part of "Roger Rabbit" comes in. Gumshoe Eddie Valiant, whose patter is straight out of Raymond Chandler, gets hired by the head of Maroon Pictures to find out whether Roger's wife, Jessica, is two-timing him. So "Roger Rabbit" is an homage to three Hollywood genres: not just the cartoon, but also film noir and the detective picture.
Bob Hoskins, as Eddie, caps a pretty amazing 10-year run. Beginning with the lead in the BBC version of Dennis Potter's "Pennies From Heaven" (1978), he would play Iago — brilliant casting — to Anthony Hopkins's Othello in the 1982 BBC production of Shakespeare's tragedy, directed by Jonathan Miller; be three very different gangsters, in "The Long Good Friday" (1980), "The Cotton Club" (1984), and, what may be his finest performance, "Mona Lisa" (1986); and contribute to the controlled delirium that is Terry Gilliam's "Brazil" (1985). Pauline Kael admiringly described him as "a testicle on legs." Let's just say that cartoonishness came naturally to him.
Just as "Roger Rabbit" succeeds at having it both ways visually, as live action and animation alike, so does it succeed at having it both ways in another sense. Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman's script has an insane gusto. The knockabout slapstick finds a match in the dialogue. Roger's saying "Only when it's funny" (which Eddie discovers, to his immense
Treated as second-class citizens, the animated characters live a ghettoized existence in a section of Los Angeles called Toontown. Actually, they're beneath class. That's what happens when you're two dimensional in a world with three dimensions. "Roger Rabbit" is an allegory for race in this country at mid-century, and it's the very outrageousness of the story that makes the allegory so effective. What we see on screen is every bit as ridiculous as the prejudices that defined Los Angeles, and America, in 1947 — except the real-life ridiculousness had horrific, and horrifically real, consequences. The film historian David Thomson is only half-facetious when he describes "Roger Rabbit" as being a truer follow-up to "Chinatown" than its actual sequel, "The Two Jakes." At no point in the movie would it be surprising to hear a character say to Hoskins, "Come on, Eddie, it's . . . Toontown." Another subplot, about the abandonment of mass transit for the automobile, doesn't work quite as effectively.
"Roger Rabbit" was an enormous success both critically and commercially. The only film released in 1988 with higher grosses was "Rain Man." Not everyone loved it. Kael, of all people, called it a "nightmare." Not deigning to review it, she called "Roger Rabbit" "a horrible genre all its own." Well, nobody's perfect.
The previous sentence occurs at the end of another American comedy. You may have heard of it, "Some Like It Hot." Like "Roger Rabbit," it draws on sex, show business, crime, and a lipsmacking cannibalization of movie genres. In the case of Billy Wilder's film, the genres are the gangster picture and two kinds of comedy, romantic and screwball. The comparison doesn't end there. Jessica Rabbit is only a bunny hop or two away from Marilyn Monroe. And while everyone knows that "Some Like It Hot" belongs in the Hollywood Comedy Hall of Fame (its floors littered with banana peels and wet with the spritzed contents of seltzer bottles), so does "Who Framed Roger Rabbit." Looking ahead and holding its own with Pixar, it also looks back and holds its own with the likes of "The Miracle of Morgan's Creek" and "His Girl Friday" and "Duck Soup." Hail, hail Freedonia? Hail, hail Toontown, too.
Mark Feeney can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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A reader who received abortion counseling from Planned-Parenthood-director-turned-anti-abortion-activist Abby Johnson (pictured) emailed to tell us Johnson was very familiar with abortion ultrasounds long before one supposedly caused her "conversion." Her email, and more questions about Johnson's story, after the jump.
The reader, who asked that we keep her anonymous, wrote (link ours):
I read your story and I live in College Station. I had an abortion at the Bryan Planned Parenthood location in July and she was my "counselor"....meaning she took me in the little office, I told her I was pregnant and wanted an abortion and she helped me pick which method (the pill...I was about 4.5 weeks) and schedule my appointment. This PP only does abortions on Saturdays with a doctor that comes in from Houston. She was there both the Saturday I was given the pill and the next Saturday when I had to come in for my follow-up ultrasound, so I'm not exactly sure how she could have thought an abortion meant you were going to shit rainbows. I can honestly say I am completely shocked. I was 21 and an atheist, and I didn't have any moral conflict about what I was going to do and I told her that. She was very understanding and matter-of-fact. I even started to cry (mostly because I was worried about what my boyfriend would say) and she comforted me. Her office was covered in pro-choice bumper stickers and buttons, and she didn't push the issue when she asked if I wanted to know about alternative choices. I also saw year about two years ago for birth control, so she has at least been there that long.
The most striking part of the e-mail is its mention of ultrasound — Johnson said she changed her position on pregnancy termination after seeing such an ultrasound, but our tipster isn't the only one to point out that this sounds a little implausible. Writing at Double X, Pandagon's Amanda Marcotte says,
Johnson's story fits way too neatly into a bunch of easily disproven anti-choice myths, the main one being that all it takes is one glance at an ultrasound to cause someone to "realize" that hey! abortion removes a fetus from your uterus. [...] After all, your average person in the United States has seen probably hundreds of sonograms in their lives, and most of them show a fetus at gestational age well beyond the point that most women get elective abortions. If you compare the ultrasound taken prior to an elective abortion, the feeling is actually one of being underwhelmed, because there's not much there compared to the ones we're used to seeing. The anti-choice sentimental devices rely therefore on ignorance more than illumination-their own mistaken understanding of what goes on in an abortion clinic.
While the story Johnson is now telling does seem like a well-crafted anti-abortion fable, it doesn't ultimately matter so much what caused Johnson to change her mind about reproductive rights (though it is worthwhile to note, as Broadsheet's Lynn Harris does, that many women change their minds in the other direction every day). What does matter is whether she's now slandering Planned Parenthood. Marcotte thinks she may be. She writes, "Johnson's accusation-that her branch was trying to discourage contraception to up the number of abortions-fits into a long-standing, demonstrably false anti-choice myth about Planned Parenthood, which is that they are a profit-making business that makes most of its money off abortion." This accusation was the most disturbing thing about Johnson's story, and some speculated that Planned Parenthood's restraining order against Johnson was a desperate attempt to keep such mercenary practices under wraps. But as Marcotte points out, Broadsheet's Tracy Clark-Flory looked at the restraining order, and found that it was issued pretty much for exactly the reasons we guessed: namely, a doctor was at risk.
According to Clark-Flory, the order accuses Johnson of copying confidential files after Planned Parenthood initiated a performance review of her, and of passing personal information — including home address — about an abortion provider to the anti-choice group Coalition for Life. It doesn't sound like Planned Parenthood is trying to silence a turncoat with inside information about its evil schemes. Instead, the organization appears to be protecting its employees from the threat of harassment — or, in the wake of abortion provider George Tiller's murder, worse.
Questions about the ultrasound story aside (Clark-Flory, too, wonders "How many pamphlets and protest signs displaying extremely graphic images (far more so than an ultrasound) must have been shoved in her face over the years?"), the reasons for Johnson's decision to leave Planned Parenthood aren't for us to judge. But as her public profile rises — Clark-Flory writes that she's soon to appear on The O'Reilly Factor — many people will take her for an authority on the inner workings of Planned Parenthood. If Johnson really is guilty of both misrepresenting Planned Parenthood's tactics and leaking confidential information (she denies the latter), then she not only doesn't deserve to speak for her former organization, but she's not a valid advocate for the anti-abortion position. Principled anti-abortion advocates should be just as skeptical as pro-choicers are of Johnson's story — if they stand for morality, they shouldn't want a liar on their side.
Former Planned Parenthood Director Telling Fishy Story [Double X]
The Conversion Of A Pro-Choice Warrior [Broadsheet]
"I Used To Call Myself Pro-Life" [Broadsheet]


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Last modified: 2006-01-14 by juan manuel gabino villascán
Keywords: paralympic games | international paralympic committee | international sports organization | tae-geuk | sports | organizations | games |
Links: FOTW homepage | search | disclaimer and copyright | write us | mirrors
by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán,
based on International Paralympic Committee Standards Manual.
Flag adopted: April 2004.
See also:
April, 2003. At its meeting in Athens on 5 April 2003, the IPC Executive Committee decided on a new corporate identity for the IPC. Working with the internationally renowned agency Scholz & Friends and many of the IPC stakeholders, a new look for the organisation was created, centred on the new direction of the IPC.
The new Paralympic logo consists of three elements in red, blue and green—the three colours that are most widely represented in national flags around the world. The shape of the three elements symbolises the new vision of the IPC "To Enable Paralympic Athletes to Achieve Sporting Excellence and to Inspire and Excite the World". The universality of the Paralympic Movement is shown through the round shape of the entire logo—symbolising the globe.
"Spirit in Motion" is the new Paralympic motto, expressing the inspirational character of the Paralympic Movement as well as elite performance of Paralympic athletes. It also stands for the strong will of every Paralympian. The word "Spirit" is derived from the notion that the IPC, like the athletes it represents, has a drive to compete and to succeed. But the IPC not only stages high performance sporting events, the strong message of the Movement accompanies it: the Paralympic Spirit. "Motion" relates to the idea that the IPC is truly moving forward—an organisation that realises its potential and is now striving to achieve it. Motion is ever present in the Movement, be it through athletes setting new records or the never-ending enthusiasm of volunteers and staff. Also, the Paralympian will have a new look in the future. The IPC is starting to use the new logo in all new publications and other products, and is looking forward to finalising this process by the ATHENS 2004 Paralympic Games Closing Ceremony.When handing over the flag to Beijing, a flag with the new logo will be used. The transition will be completed and from that day on, the old logo will no longer be used.
This new Paralympic look will also be seen in the logos of National Paralympic Committees and future organising committees of Paralympic Games. However, due to the limited time before the ATHENS 2004 Paralympic Games,ATHENS 2004 and participating delegations will continue using the three tae-geuks, which have stood for the mind, body and spirit of Paralympic athletes and the long way the IPC has come in the first 14 years of its existence.
International Paralympic Committee.
Reported by: Daniel De Boni, October 16, 2004.
by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán,
based on International Paralympic Committee Standards Manual.
by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán,
based on International Paralympic Committee Standards Manual.
by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán,
based on International Paralympic Committee Standards Manual.
At the 1988 Summer Paralympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, Tae-Geuks
were used in the logo for sports for athletes with a disability for
the first time. This logo consisted of five Tae-Geuks which were
similar, in colour and configuration, to the Olympic Rings. At the end
of these Games the logo was adopted by the International Coordinating
Committee of World Sports Organizations for the Disabled (ICC). When
the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) was created in 1989, the
new committee also adopted the five Tae-Geuks as its symbol.
In 1991 the IPC changed its logo at the request of the IOC, which felt the similarity of their logos was confusing and might hamper marketing. Thus the IPC eventually decided on a symbol of three Tae-Geuks, representing the Paralympic Motto: Mind, Body, and Spirit. However, since the Lillehammer Paralympic Organizing Committee (LPOC) had by then already started a marketing program for the 1994 Paralympic Winter Games based on the old logo, the new logo wasn't officially launched until after Lillehammer 1994.
Logo.doc - International Paralympics Committee
by Juan Manuel Gabino villascán, December 2005.
Source: International Paralympic Committee
by Victor Lomantsov, 24 September 2003.
Source: Andreas Herzfeld, Flags and logos of International Sports Federations, Associations and Organizations. Deutsche Gesellshaft fur Flaggenkunde e.V. 2000
Flag adopted: 1991
Officially launched: 1994.
Section I - Constitution and By Laws
Chapter 4 - The paralympic Movement Symbols, Rights and Obligations
The Paralympic Symbol consists of the three "Tae-Geuks", blue, red, and green, symbolizing the most significant components of the human being: Mind, Body, Spirit. The Pantone colours and configurations are outlined in the graphic guidelines "IPC Standards Manual" which is mandatory to followed for any reproduction of the symbol.
The Paralympic Motto is "Mind, Body, Spirit", alluding to the most significant components of the human being.
The Paralympic Flag has a white background, with no border. In its centre is located the Paralympic Symbol in its three colours.
Source: The handbook of the International Paralympic Committee, as used in 1994-2003.
On 28 july 1948, the Opening Day of the London Olympic Games, in Stoke Mandeville, England, a sport competition was held for World War II veterans with a spinal cord injury. Four years later an international movement was born, as competitors from Holland joined these games.
The first Olympic style Games for athletes with disabilities were held in Rome in 1960, in the same venues as the Rome Olympics. The games in Tokyo in 1964 appear to have been the first Paralympic game using a special flag, though not the flag the IPC uses today. In 1976 Örnsköldsvik, Sweden was the host of the first Paralympic Winter Games, and both at these Games and the Games in Toronto that same year, other disability groups took part, giving rise to the idea of merging together different disability groups for international sport competitions. Since Seoul 1992 the Paralympic Games always take place at the same venues as the Olympic Games.
In 1982 the different world organisations for sports for the disabled formed the International Coordinating Committee of World Sports Organisations for the Disabled (ICC). However, it was soon felt that the ICC should be replaced by a more democratic organisation, which led in 1989 to the formation of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
Jan Oskar Engene, 13 June 1998; and
Website of the International Paralympics Committee


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Mark Weisman, Iowa rally, defeat Michigan State in double OT
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Mark Weisman ran for 116 yards and scored a tying touchdown in the final minute of regulation, and Iowa went on to beat Michigan State 19-16 in double overtime Saturday.
Mike Meyer kicked field goals in both overtimes, including a 42-yarder in the second that gave the Hawkeyes (4-2, 2-0 Big Ten) their first lead of the game. Iowa then won it when Andrew Maxwell's deflected pass was intercepted by Greg Castillo.
Le'Veon Bell ran for 140 yards and a touchdown for Michigan State, but the Spartans (4-3, 1-2) couldn't hold on late. Iowa drove 68 yards in nine plays and tied it at 13 on Weisman's 5-yard scoring run with 55 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
The Hawkeyes appeared to be in trouble late in the fourth when they faced second-and-26 from their own 16, but James Vandenberg found Keenan Davis single covered along the right sideline for a 35-yard gain.
Weisman's 37-yard run on third-and-6 gave Iowa the ball at the Michigan State 8 and set up the tying TD, which also came on third down.
The teams traded short field goals in the first overtime. Michigan State could have won it with a touchdown in the second, but Maxwell's pass appeared to be tipped at the line of scrimmage, then deflected off the hands of wide receiver Keith Mumphery and was intercepted by Castillo.
It was the first interception for Maxwell since he threw three in the season opener against Boise State.
On a rainy day at Spartan Stadium, Vandenberg threw an early interception when his pass was tipped by defensive lineman William Gholston and picked off by Denicos Allen.
Michigan State took over at the Iowa 26 and gave the ball to Bell four straight times. His 14-yard touchdown run made it 7-0.
The Hawkeyes trailed 10-0 in the second quarter when Jordan Cotton had a kickoff return for a touchdown nullified by an illegal block. Iowa still ended up with the ball near midfield and drove for a field goal.
Michigan State missed a chance to score in the final seconds of the half because of a farcical miscommunication. Maxwell completed a 19-yard pass to Mumphery to the Iowa 32 with 6 seconds left. The clock stopped momentarily because of the first down, but there was mass confusion among the Spartans, who needed only to stop the clock with a spike and bring their field-goal unit out.
Michigan State eventually got lined up -- but Maxwell, the quarterback, was nowhere to be seen. Bell went to the line of scrimmage as if to take the snap himself, and Maxwell finally ran over from the sideline to the backfield, but the clock ran out.
Game Information
2023 Big Ten Conference Standings
|Penn State
|Ohio State
|Michigan State


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LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Boingo Wireless (NASDAQ:WIFI), the Wi-Fi industry's leading provider of software and services worldwide, announced today that millions of people will have access to free Wi-Fi at more than 4,000 hotspots thanks to Google Play. The Wi-Fi hotspots are part of Boingo's Cloud Nine Media platform, a global advertising network that enables brand advertisers to reach a captive audience through Wi-Fi sponsorships.
Starting this week, Wi-Fi users with Android phones and tablets, as well as Windows and Macintosh laptops, will be offered complimentary Wi-Fi at thousands of high-traffic locations in dozens of cities nationwide, courtesy of cloud-based digital entertainment destination, Google Play.
Sponsored Wi-Fi locations include 15 airports, such as New York's John F. Kennedy, Chicago O'Hare and Seattle-Tacoma, Boingo-enabled Manhattan subway stations, and thousands of hotels, shopping malls, cafés and recreational areas.
Consumers taking advantage of the free Boingo Wi-Fi sponsored by Google Play can get free content, check out the latest releases and stay entertained with instant access to their favorite music, movies, books, apps and more.
"Google Play is the first to take part in our newly expanded Wi-Fi sponsorship network, which reaches millions of consumers each month with place-based brand engagements," said Dawn Callahan, vice president of consumer marketing for Boingo Wireless. "Sponsorships like this give users the free Wi-Fi they crave, advertisers the consumer interaction they need, and venues the revenue to offset the costs associated with providing a high-bandwidth Wi-Fi experience."
The free Boingo Wi-Fi lasts through the end of September. With the recent acquisition of Cloud Nine Media, Boingo Wireless now offers brands a global advertising network that includes more than 70 leading airports, the New York City subway, shopping centers, stadiums and thousands of hotels, restaurants and recreational areas, reaching more than 1.5 billion people annually.
About Boingo Wireless
Boingo Wireless, Inc. (NASDAQ: WIFI), the world's leading Wi-Fi software and services provider, makes it easy, convenient and cost-effective for people to enjoy Wi-Fi access on their laptop or mobile device at more than 500,000 hotspots worldwide. With a single account, Boingo users can access the mobile internet via Boingo Network locations that include the top airports around the world, major hotel chains, cafés and coffee shops, restaurants, convention centers and metropolitan hot zones. Boingo through its Concourse Communications Group subsidiary operates wireless networks at large-scale venues worldwide such as airports, major sporting arenas, malls, and convention centers, as well as quick serve restaurants. For more information about Boingo, please visit http://www.boingo.com.
Boingo, Boingo Wireless, the Boingo Wireless Logo and Don't Just Go. Boingo are registered trademarks of Boingo Wireless, Inc. All other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that involves risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "seeks," "believes," "estimates," "expects" and similar references to future periods. These forward-looking statements include the quotations from management in this press release, as well as any statements regarding Boingo's strategic plans and future guidance. Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions regarding our business, the economy and other future conditions. Since forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Our actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include regional, national or global political, economic, business, competitive, market and regulatory conditions, as well as other risk and uncertainties described more fully in documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including Boingo's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 filed with the SEC on April 13, 2012. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.


text:
Since this nation began, courthouses have been reflections of how we see ourselves as a people and a democracy. They have been lovingly, in some cases lavishly, built with reverence for the symbols they are. We focus here on courthouses of New York State built for its towns and village, counties, and the State. We attempt to document the history, architecture, and beauty of the courthouse building and the art it displays inside and out. In our look at these courthouses, we will also focus on the image of Lady Justice which adorns so many of these buildings.
This is a growing and developing undertaking. We give our special thanks to Teodors Ermansons, court photographer, who is responsible for many of the images appearing on this site.


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Mired in interminable conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Bush administration is moving toward initiating two more wars, one with Iran and one with North Korea. With no US troops available, the Bush administration is revamping US war doctrine to allow for "preventative nuclear attack." In short, the Bush administration is planning to make the US the first country in history to initiate war with nuclear weapons. The Pentagon document, "Doctrine for Joint Nuclear Operations," calls for the use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear adversaries in order "to ensure success of US and multinational operations."
In the case of Iran and North Korea, the Bush administration is using diplomacy not for diplomatic purposes of reaching agreements, but in order to set the two countries up for nuclear attack. In the case of Iran, the Bush administration's plan is now obvious. The Bush administration is leveling false charges against Iran, just as it did against Iraq, of conspiring to make nuclear weapons. These charges are known to be false by the Bush administration and by the entire world.
For the past two years the International Atomic Energy Agency has had unfettered access to inspect Iran for any sign of a nuclear weapons program. The head of the IAEA has announced that there is no sign of a weapons program. The Bush administration nevertheless insists that Iran is making weapons, but can produce no evidence. As in the case of Iraq, the Bush administration substitutes allegations for facts.
Gordon Prather, an expert on the subject, has reported the straight facts in fine detail. Readers can become familiar with them by consulting his archive at Antiwar.com.
By bullying the 35 members of the IAEA, the Bush administration last week managed to get 22 votes that could lead to the referral of Iran to the UN Security Council. The Bush administration will now lobby for the referral. Once it has the referral, even if the Security Council does not act on it, the Bush administration can use it as an excuse to attack Iran. The Bush administration knows that few Americans have any knowledge of international law and procedures and will simply believe whatever President Bush says. The highly concentrated US media is a proven walkover for the war-mongering Bush administration.
As Dr. Prather has shown, Iran has gone beyond compliance to propose that new additional safeguards be established to monitor its nuclear energy program. The bad intentions are on the part of the Bush administration.
The Bush administration's plan is to create Iranian intransigence in place of cooperation by forcing the Iranian government to stand up to the bullying by reducing its cooperation. The goal of the Bush administration is to attack Iran, not to create cooperative relationships.
Needless to say, Iranians are angry at the Bush administration's manipulation of the IAEA members. Last Wednesday protesters in Tehran attacked the British embassy, which serves as a proxy for the non-existent US embassy, and legislation was introduced that, if it passes, will scale back Iran's cooperation with the IAEA. Iran has also threatened to cut off oil deliveries to some of the countries that caved in to US pressure, thereby permitting the US to increase tensions and escalate the conflict.
The Bush administration is betting that it can demonize Iran the way it did Iraq. As both Congress and the American public have failed to hold Bush accountable for deceiving them about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, the administration assumes that its tactics will work a second time.
However, a nuclear attack on Iran would leave the Bush administration isolated. The US would instantly become a pariah nation, loathed and hated everywhere else.
Moreover, it would leave our battered troops in Iraq in a perilous situation. The only reason our army in Iraq has not been destroyed is that the Shi'ites, who comprise the vast majority of the population, have not taken up arms against us, expecting the US to turn over Iraq to them. As the Iraqi Shi'ites are allied with the Iranians, who also are Shi'ite, the US cannot attack Iran without destroying its position in Iraq.
The Bush administration, filled with hubris and delusion, is too stupid to know this.
The American people need to ask themselves why of all the countries in the world, only the US and Israel believe that it is imperative to attack Iran. If Iran is such a threat to the world, why isn't Russia, for example, concerned and ready to invade?
Americans need to ask themselves the same question about North Korea. Why is the US, half a world away, so concerned about North Korea? If North Korea is such a threat, would not China, sitting on its border, know it? Wouldn't Japan know it? South Korea? Wouldn't some other country besides the US see the problem and take action? According to the Voice of America (August 11, 2005), "Senior South Korean officials on Thursday defended what they say is North Korea's 'natural right' to pursue civilian nuclear power. The move may cause friction with the United States, which has expressed firm opposition to the North having any nuclear facilities whatsoever."
If the US doesn't want other countries to develop nuclear weapons, the US must stop bombing, invading and threatening invasions and nuclear attacks. How does President Bush serve the cause of peace by making countries paranoid by declaring them to be our enemies.
For there to be peace, the US must drop its belligerent role. The proper function of diplomacy is to build trust by drawing countries into economic and cultural relationships, not to isolate them for attack. It is past time for the US to give up its quarter century feud with Iran. US interference in Iranian internal affairs was the source of the feud. We need to acknowledge it and get over it.
The Korean war ended a half century ago. Isn't it time the US acknowledged the war's end and signed a treaty with North Korea? The Korean war was essentially a war between the US and China. It was Chinese troops that prevented American victory. Yet we are getting on with China, a much greater potential threat to the US than North Korea or Iran could ever be.
By creating instability in the Middle East, the US undermines Israel's security. As a few thousand Iraqi insurgents have proven, American armies are not going to be able to sit over the oil in the Middle East. If we can't produce enough valuable goods or maintain a strong currency, we won't have access to the oil. There is no possibility whatsoever of the US pushing around powers like China, India, or Russia.
Bush's hubris makes him unrealistic. He greatly overestimates America's power. Congress and the American people must find a way to supply the judgment that is missing in the executive branch.
There would be no terrorism if the US would stop interfering in the internal affairs of Middle Eastern countries and if Israel stopped stealing the West Bank from the Palestinians. The Bush administration knows this, and that is why the administration spreads the propagandistic lie that "they" (Muslims) hate us and our way of life. This lie is the excuse for American aggression.
PAUL CRAIG ROBERTS has held a number of academic appointments and has contributed to numerous scholarly publications. He served as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in the Reagan administration. His graduate economics education was at the University of Virginia, the University of California at Berkeley, and Oxford University. He is coauthor of The Tyranny of Good Intentions. He can be reached at: firstname.lastname@example.com
We published an article entitled "A Saudiless Arabia" by Wayne Madsen dated October 22, 2002 (the "Article"), on the website of the Institute for the Advancement of Journalistic Clarity, CounterPunch, www.counterpunch.org (the "Website").
Although it was not our intention, counsel for Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi has advised us the Article suggests, or could be read as suggesting, that Mr Al Amoudi has funded, supported, or is in some way associated with, the terrorist activities of Osama bin Laden and the Al Qaeda terrorist network.
We do not have any evidence connecting Mr Al Amoudi with terrorism.
As a result of an exchange of communications with Mr Al Amoudi's lawyers, we have removed the Article from the Website.
We are pleased to clarify the position.
August 17, 2005


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SAN DIEGO – The Chulapa Monster was discovered on Mission Beach in San Diego.
The beast is about two feet in length. It has and the body shape of a pig—kind of a fat stomach, middle area and the canines are ridiculously large – 8-10 inches.
Some thought at it first was some kind of Chupacabra that swims in water.
Its hind legs are longer than its front pair. It appears to be mostly hairless and it scares young children.
The San Diego Chulapa Monster has been talked about by locals for the last few decades, though no one has ever really seen it – until now. It was named the "Chulapa Monster" in jest by a local fisherman, but the monster is taken very seriously by local authorities.
"We've had over 30 deaths blamed on the Chulapa Monster over the years," said Sgt. Monica Williams of the San Diego Police Department.
The Chulapa Monster corpse smelled like dead rotting flesh and flies filled its mouth as observers tried to get close to it.
Original story by Rocco Castoro at vice.com
Check out their site!
Photos by Josh Menard—a 19-year-old snowboard from Lake Tahoe.


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Food for Guns
The Purpose of Gun ControlThe Purpose of Gun Control
In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953,
about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up
and exterminated.
In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million
Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total
of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves were
rounded up and exterminated.
China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million
political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and
Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000
Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and
Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000
Christians, unable to defend themselves,
were rounded up and exterminated.
Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one
million 'educated' people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and
Defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th Century
because of gun control: 56 million.
It has now been 12 months since gun owners in Australia were forced by
new law to surrender 640,381 personal firearms to be destroyed by their own
government, a program costing Australia taxpayers more than $500 million
dollars. The first year results are now in:
List of 7 items:
Australia-wide, homicides are up 3.2 percent
Australia-wide, assaults are up 8.6 percent
Australia-wide, armed robberies are up 44 percent (yes, 44 percent)!
In the state of Victoria alone, homicides with firearms are now up 300
percent. Note that while the law-abiding citizens turned them in, the
criminals did not, and criminals still possess their guns!
While figures over the previous 25 years showed a steady decrease in
armed robbery with firearms, this has changed drastically upward in the past
12 months, since criminals now are guaranteed that their prey is unarmed.
There has also been a dramatic increase in break-ins and assaults of
the ELDERLY. Australian politicians are at a loss to explain how public
safety has decreased, after such monumental effort and expense was
expended in successfully ridding Australian society of guns. The Australian
experience and the other historical facts above prove it.
You won't see this data on the US evening news, or hear politicians
disseminating this information.
Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes,
gun-control laws adversely affect only the law-abiding citizens.
Take note my fellow Americans, before it's too late!
The next time someone talks in favor of gun control, please remind them
of this history lesson.
With guns, we are 'citizens'.
Without them, we are 'subjects'.
During WWII the Japanese decided not to invade America because they
knew most Americans were ARMED!


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France: An Ode
Ye Clouds! that far above me float and pause,
Whose pathless march no mortal may control!
Ye Ocean-Waves! that, wheresoe'er ye roll,
Yield homage only to eternal laws!
Ye Woods! that listen to the night-birds singing,
Midway the smooth and perilous slope reclined.
Save when your own imperious branches swinging,
Have made a solemn music of the wind!
Where, like a man beloved of God,
Through glooms, which never woodman trod,
How oft, pursuing fancies holy,
My moonlight way o'er flowering weeds I wound,
Inspired, beyond the guess of folly,
By each rude shape and wild unconquerable sound!
O ye loud Waves! and O ye Forests high!
And O ye Clouds that far above me soared!
Thou rising Sun! thou blue rejoicing Sky!
Yea, every thing that is and will be free!
Bear witness for me, wheresoe'er ye be,
With what deep worship I have still adored
The spirit of divinest Liberty.
When France in wrath her giant-limbs upreared,
And with that oath, which smote air, earth, and sea,
Stamped her strong foot and said she would be free,
Bear witness for me, how I hoped and feared!
With what a joy my lofty gratulation
Unawed I sang, amid a slavish band:
And when to whelm the disenchanted nation,
Like fiends embattled by a wizard's wand,
The Monarchs marched in evil day,
And Britain joined the dire array;
Though dear her shores and circling ocean,
Though many friendships, many youthful loves
Had swoln the patriot emotion
And flung a magic light o'er all her hills and groves;
Yet still my voice, unaltered, sang defeat
To all that braved the tyrant-quelling lance,
And shame too long delayed and vain retreat!
For ne'er, O Liberty! with partial aim
I dimmed thy light or damped thy holy flame;
But blessed the paeans of delivered France,
And hung my head and wept at Britain's name.
"And what," I said, "though Blasphemy's loud scream
With that sweet music of deliverance strove!
Though all the fierce and drunken passions wove
A dance more wild than e'er was maniac's dream!
Ye storms, that round the dawning East assembled,
The Sun was rising, though ye hid his light!"
And when, to soothe my soul, that hoped and trembled,
The dissonance ceased, and all seemed calm and bright;
When France her front deep-scarr'd and gory
Concealed with clustering wreaths of glory;
When, insupportably advancing,
Her arm made mockery of the warrior's ramp;
While timid looks of fury glancing,
Domestic treason, crushed beneath her fatal stamp,
Writhed like a wounded dragon in his gore;
Then I reproached my fears that would not flee;
"And soon," I said, "shall Wisdom teach her lore
In the low huts of them that toil and groan!
And, conquering by her happiness alone,
Shall France compel the nations to be free,
Till Love and Joy look round, and call the Earth their own."
Forgive me, Freedom! O forgive those dreams!
I hear thy voice, I hear thy loud lament,
From bleak Helvetia's icy caverns sent
I hear thy groans upon her blood-stained streams!
Heroes, that for your peaceful country perished,
And ye that, fleeing, spot your mountain-snows
With bleeding wounds; forgive me, that I cherished
One thought that ever blessed your cruel foes!
To scatter rage, and traitorous guilt,
Where Peace her jealous home had built;
A patriot-race to disinherit
Of all that made their stormy wilds so dear;
And with inexpiable spirit
To taint the bloodless freedom of the mountaineer
O France, that mockest Heaven, adulterous, blind,
And patriot only in pernicious toils!
Are these thy boasts, Champion of human kind?
To mix with Kings in the low lust of sway,
Yell in the hunt, and share the murderous prey;
To insult the shrine of Liberty with spoils
From freemen torn; to tempt and to betray?
The Sensual and the Dark rebel in vain,
Slaves by their own compulsion! In mad game
They burst their manacles and wear the name
Of Freedom, graven on a heavier chain!
O Liberty! with profitless endeavour
Have I pursued thee, many a weary hour;
But thou nor swell'st the victor's strain, nor ever
Didst breathe thy soul in forms of human power.
Alike from all, howe'er they praise thee,
(Nor prayer, nor boastful name delays thee)
Alike from Priestcraft's harpy minions,
And factious Blasphemy's obscener slaves,
Thou speedest on thy subtle pinions,
The guide of homeless winds, and playmate of the waves!
And there I felt thee!on that sea-cliff's verge,
Whose pines, scarce travelled by the breeze above,
Had made one murmur with the distant surge!
Yes, while I stood and gazed, my temples bare,
And shot my being through earth, sea, and air,
Possessing all things with intensest love,
O Liberty! my spirit felt thee there.


text:
Robotic conveyances like the BigDog attest to the advances that biomimetic beings have made in recent years. But the walking machines of today lack that sinister je ne sais quoi of old-school robots, namely Odetics' ODEX series of insectoid walkers.
The creators of this experimental walker envisioned using it for battlefield applications and braving the radioactive areas of nuclear power plants. Although it wasn't the zippiest robot around, the 300-pound ODEX-1 could carry 900 pounds while walking normally.
Even though these particular ODEX models never saw widespread usage, during their heyday they were presumably used for many a pants-soiling office prank and press conferences in the Omni Consumer Products mold (that were decidedly less ill-fated).
This video of the ODEX-1 comes us to from the folks at Cybernetic Zoo, who introduced us to such unapologetically bad-ass creations as the GE Walking Truck and the Adaptive Suspension Vehicle.
For more information on the ODEX-1, check out some of these older pieces from Popular Science and Robotics Age. The Old Robots and Cybernetic Zoo also have galleries of the various ODEX designs.


text:
(From Reuters)
US plans to send warships or military aircraft within 12 nautical miles of China's artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea, possibly within days, could open a tense new front in Sino-US rivalry.
A range of security experts said Washington's so-called freedom of navigation patrols would have to be regular to be effective, given Chinese ambitions to project power deep into maritime Southeast Asia and beyond.
But China would likely resist attempts to make such US actions routine, some said, raising the political and military stakes. China's navy could, for example, try to block or attempt to surround US vessels, they said, risking an escalation.
Given months of debate already in Washington over the first such patrol close to the Chinese outposts since 2012, several regional security experts and former naval officers said the U.S. government might be reluctant to do them often.
US allies such as Japan and Australia are unlikely to follow with their own direct challenges to China, despite their concerns over freedom of navigation along vital trade routes, they added.
"This cannot be a one-off," said Ian Storey, a South China Sea expert at Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.
"The US navy will have to conduct these kinds of patrols on a regular basis to reinforce their message."
The Obama administration has said it would test China's territorial claims to the area after months of pressure from Congress and the US military. It has not given a timeframe.
"I think we have been very clear – that we intend to do this," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters last Monday.
Chinese Foreign Ministry officials said this month that Beijing would "never allow any country to violate China's territorial waters and airspace in the Spratly islands in the name of protecting navigation and overflight".
Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, 12-nautical mile limits cannot be set around man-made islands built on previously submerged reefs.
Four of the seven reefs China has reclaimed over the last two years were completely submerged at high tide before construction began, legal scholars say.
China claims most of the South China Sea. Other claimants are Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
'No-go zone'
Bonnie Glaser, a security expert at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies, said US missions would likely be regular, with the navy wanting to ensure it did not become effectively shut out of the area.
"I know the US does not want that outcome. Nobody wants to give the Chinese a new no-go zone and an effective territorial sea they are not entitled to," she said.
Glaser said she believed China would be careful about interfering with a US patrol, despite past frictions.
Myles Caggins, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, declined to comment when asked whether a US show of force might be more symbolism than substance unless there was a sustained naval effort, or whether the administration was factoring in further Chinese assertiveness.
Despite Xi's comment at the news conference that the man-made islands would not be militarised, some mainland Chinese analysts believe the reclamations will form the heart of a new military screen protecting Chinese submarines on southern Hainan Island, as well as boasting extensive civilian facilities.
These submarines will soon carry nuclear weapons and represent the core of China's nuclear deterrence, giving it a second strike capability.
'Dangerous escalation'
While China's outposts are seen as vulnerable in a conflict, up until that point they will allow Beijing to extend both civilian activities, such as fishing and oil exploration, as well as military patrols. One airstrip is finished and two others are being built.
Zhang Baohui, a Chinese security expert at Hong Kong's Lingnan University, said he feared a "dangerous escalation", with China likely to react to any attempt to make the patrols routine.
Rather than freedom of navigation, Zhang said he believed Beijing saw the issue as one of great power rivalry.
"It is all about power, and that is what makes this so dangerous," he said.
China had never formally declared a 12-mile territorial zone around the reclamations, so any US show of force was premature, he added.
Sam Bateman, an adviser to Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies and a former Australian naval officer, also noted the lack of any formal declaration, adding Washington risked underestimating China's angst over being contained in the South China Sea.
"There is a real risk of a confrontation between China and the US that the US might have to withdraw from," he said, urging more diplomacy instead.
"I'm not sure what their end-game is."


text:
Group Leader - PheresisVerenigde Staten van AmerikaR-1443062015 CSL Plasma
1 In compliance with Standard Operating Procedures, (SOPs), performs all aspects of the pheresis procedure and plasma collection, including donor set-up, donor monitoring and donor disconnect.
2 In compliance with SOPs and Food & Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines performs venipuncture to begin pheresis process.
3 Evaluates vein performance of the donor to identify possible problems; makes necessary corrections in order to expedite donation time and ensure product quality and donor safety. Ensures donation process is efficient and makes adjustments when necessary to make the process a positive experience for the donor.
4 Educates new donors on the use of therapeutic products made from donated plasma. Explains the screening process, the health screening tests performed, the appointment system, donation fees, center policies, proper nutrition and any other information pertinent to the donor. Ensures that all donors' questions are answered timely, accurately and professionally.
5 Maintains alertness to any reaction by donors and assists with reactions or notifies appropriate staff.
6 Uses Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) to record incidents that occur during the pheresis process, such as machine alerts and alarms, volume variances and donor adverse events.
7 Provides guidance and technical training about processes and procedures to donor floor and other staff as required.
8 Monitors donor flow on the donor floor to assure continuous turnover. Allocates resources to address donor backlog.
9 Performs calibrations and verifies that maintenance has been performed as outlined in SOPs. May respond to and resolve complex equipment alarms or donor issues.
10 Troubleshoots equipment failures, including creating incident documentation, removing and/or replacing equipment from service.
11 Responsible for changing supply lot numbers in the electronic donor information management system when new lot number is introduced into production.
12 Supports center management by providing input into staff scheduling, and resolves minor donor relations and technical procedure issues. Refers employee relations issues to center management team staff.
13 Ensures the accurate recording of donor data in the electronic donor information management system as outlined in SOPs.
14 Understands the policies and procedures associated with hyper immune programs at the center if applicable.
15 Maintains clean efficient work environment, and ensures sufficient operating supplies and forms are available as needed. Follows all Health Safety & Environmental (HSE) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) policies and procedures. Promotes safety in all actions. May conduct routine audits of these internal procedures and documentation.
16 Maintains confidentiality of all personnel, donor and center information.
17 May be cross-trained in other areas to meet the needs of the business.
18 Bilingual skills may be required, at the discretion of the organization, to meet the needs of the business.
19 Perform other job-related duties as assigned.
• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Minimum 18 months experience in a medical or health care environment preferred or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Specialized medical or phlebotomy training preferred
Working Conditions
(physical & mental requirements)
• Ability to make decisions which have moderate impact on immediate work unit
• Understands, remembers and communicates routine, factual information.
• Must be able to see and speak with customers and observe equipment operation
• Occasionally perform tasks while standing and walking up to 100% of time
• Reach, bend, kneel and have high level of manual dexterity
• Occasionally be required to lift and carry up to 25 pounds
• Fast paced environment with frequent interruptions
• Frequently exposed to hazardous chemicals, extreme temperatures and to blood borne pathogens
• Required to wear Personal Protective Equipment while performing specific tasks or in certain areas
• Required to work overtime and extended hours to support center operational needs
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, national origin or other legally protected classifications
CSL offers the following benefits for this part-time position: Paid sick leave; and the option to participate in CSL's 401(k) Savings Program.
About Us
CSL Plasma is one of the world's largest collectors of human plasma. Our work helps to ensure that people with rare and serious diseases are able to live normal, healthy lives. We are committed to our work because lives depend on us. Learn more about CSL Plasma.
We want CSL to reflect the world around us
As a global organisation with employees in 35+ countries, CSL embraces diversity, equity and inclusion. Learn more about Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at CSL.
Do work that matters at CSL Plasma!


text:
Also, I just got an MMS from my dear boyfriend that he bought two dresses for me:
He is so sweet, it gives me these little explosions of warm feelings inside. I want to hug him so bad. Also, aren't the dresses perfect?!
Other great news, we FINALLY have Spotify in Holland. Don't know how I survived without it.


text:
You will always be able to find the latest eAndora source release on source forge here. If developmental code is more your preference you can always find my latest work on github here.
I've tested this release with the latest releases of the Enlightenment Foundation Libraries (1.8.3), Elementary (1.8.2), and Python EFL (1.8.0). It could very well work with previous releases of these things though - for best results always use the latest versions.
Screenshot Tour:
Login Screen
Main Window
Station Creation
Station Selection
If you have any questions feel free to drop a comment below. If you are a Bodhi Linux user the eAndora 1.0 release is currently in our testing repository and will move into the stable branch in January once the EFL 1.8.x series makes its way to stable.
~Jeff Hoogland


text:
The classic monochrome laser business printer continues to sell surprisingly well, but the best printer for your business might be inkjet, laser, LED, or solid-ink; and it might be a multifunction or single-function model.
How do you decide which technology and function level are best for your business? How much can you afford to spend? Take time to think about what you print, how much you print, and whether you need extra features or room to grow. Remember to check the cost of consumables to make sure your ongoing costs will be bearable.
The Cheapest Printer for the Job
Of course, you don't want to spend more than you can afford. But before you commit to buying the cheapest printer you can find, let's examine what "cheap" really means, and why the cheapest printer may not be the most affordable printer.
The business model used by most printer vendors works like this: The lower the initial price tag of the printer, the higher the cost of replacement ink or toner. As a result, the only person likely to benefit from a low-cost printer with high-cost consumables is someone who prints very little, and thus stretches out the time between replacements as long as possible. Unless you are among the sparsely printing few, you would do well to check a printer's ink or toner costs before you buy, to avoid budget-busting surprises later. For a how-to, consult this guide to doing the math to determine ink and toner costs.
Inkjet, Laser, LED, Solid Ink…They're All Good (or Better)
Choosing a machine for its underlying technology is less problematic than it used to be, as differences in speed and output quality have narrowed. If you normally print plain text–letters, spreadsheets, documentation–with nothing more graphic than a simple logo or a few straight lines, a monochrome laser or LED printer should suit you just fine. The consumables for these printers tend to be the cheapest around, too. See our Top 10 Monochrome Laser Printers chart for a ranked list of our top-rated models.
Color laser or LED printers may seem like the natural evolutionary step forward from monochrome models, but the transition is happening slowly. One major reason is that color printers cost more to buy and resupply; as a result, businesses must manage access to color printing to avoid overuse or misuse. Another significant factor is photo quality: Most laser and LED printers struggle to print smooth-looking images. Check out our current favorites on our Top 10 Color Laser Printers chart.
Superior photo quality is only one reason that inkjet printers are worth considering for many businesses. Various office-ready models can deliver competitive speed and print quality, too. Media flexibility is another selling point, as some models can print on specially designed canvas, iron-on transfers, or even CD/DVD media. Check out our top-ranked models among single-function inkjet printers and multifunction inkjet printers.
Solid-ink printers, available only through Xerox, use a unique technology that melts waxlike blocks and then squirts the semiliquid fluid through tiny holes in a printhead onto paper. Unlike toner and ink cartridges, the ink blocks use no plastic packaging, and therefore impose less of a shipping, storage, and environmental burden. Photo quality is about the same for a solid-ink printer as for a laser or LED printer: adequate, but not quite as good as for a typical inkjet. This technology is worth considering for a small office or department that wants something faster than an inkjet, but less complicated than a color laser or LED printer. Because solid-ink printers compete most closely with lasers and LEDs, you'll find our top picks in this color laser chart.
Fit the Printer to Your Office Size and Volume
How much output do you need your printer to print–a few sheets a day, dozens, or hundreds? Are you the only person who'll be printing, or will your coworkers use the machine, too? To avoid getting stuck with too much printer or too little, you have to figure out which features are relevant to your needs.
Choose a personal inkjet or laser printer only if you'll be its only user and you plan not to print more than a few dozen pages a day. The machine will be slow; it will lack useful features such as automatic duplexing (two-sided printing); and it will likely have pricier consumables. USB is the typical connection type, but wireless is a forward-looking feature worth considering.
For a printer that multiple people will use, ethernet networkability is essential for easy sharing. Wireless networkability can be useful with smaller workgroups, but its speed and reliability tend to vary.
A simple way to evaluate the print volume you need is to ask yourself how often you want to refill the paper tray. For most people the answer probably is no more than once a day, if that. Track your paper usage for a few days and look for a printer whose standard input tray exceeds that average daily volume by a smaller or greater margin, depending on how often you want to refill the tray. Another rule of thumb is to keep your volume well below the printer's specified monthly duty cycle. This number represents a maximum stress-test level, rather than what the printer can handle comfortably on an ongoing basis.
How Much Speed Do You Need?
Your anticipated print volume also helps determine how much engine speed, processing power, and memory your printer should have.
It's wise to take engine-speed specifications with a grain of salt, as they may not reflect your usage pattern. Nevertheless, they provide some indication of what the printer could accomplish under optimal conditions. A printer with an print output speed of less than 20 pages per minute will probably be pretty slow; a range of 20 ppm to 40 ppm is adequate for most offices; and a speed greater than 40 ppm is ready for higher-volume use (and such printers are priced accordingly).
Host-based printers lack their own image-processing power. Instead, they depend on a connected PC to handle the job for them. For any printer that has a dedicated processor, the higher the megahertz (MHz), the faster the machine can receive, interpret, and print a job.
The number and size of expected jobs will dictate how much memory your printer should have. A typical amount for a business printer can be anywhere from 64MB to 256MB. Higher-end models have room for expansion.
Paper-Handling Choices Abound
The printer you choose should offer the paper-handling capabilities appropriate for what you do now–and it should be expandable to accommodate subsequent growth. Some entry-level business printers have a standard input capacity of as little as 150 pages, which may suffice for a small, low-volume workgroup; unfortunately, most such models aren't expandable. The more typical minimum capacity is 250 pages. Some printers provide a slot or secondary tray for feeding envelopes and other thicker media, or let you add input trays or feeders at additional cost. If you feed more than one kind or size of media regularly, having a dedicated tray for each type will save you time and aggravation.
Automatic duplexing (two-sided printing) is a feature to seek on your next printer. Using this feature can slow print jobs somewhat, but the money and trees you'll save by halving your paper usage are likely to outweigh any time lost.
Is there a kind of document that you'd like to be able to print but currently can't? Modern printers can handle envelopes, labels, and index cards virtually trouble-free, thanks to straighter paper paths on most inkjets and some lasers, and to manual-feed slots that bypass the toughest turns on others. High-end laser printers even offer special feeding and finishing units for collating, stapling, and stacking envelopes or postcards. A wide-format printer lets you print in a larger size than the typical letter (8.5 by 11 inches) and legal (8.5 by 14 inches) dimensions.
Next page: Should you get a multifunction? What about ink and toner?
Single-Function or Multifunction?
If all you do is print your own documents, you might not need a multifunction printer (MFP)–sometimes referred to as an all-in-one. But if you want to digitize paper-based files or share documents with other people, you can use an MFP to make photocopies, create electronic images of documents, and store or send them via e-mail. MFPs for business should have an automatic document feeder (ADF) for simpler scanning of multipage documents.
Though MFPs appear to be the wave of the printing future, they have some limitations. If your office is very busy, forcing a single machine to juggle everyone's printing, copying, scanning, and faxing demands could overwhelm it–and frustrate your users. Also, if you have a long-term need to scan hundreds or thousands of pages of documents, a dedicated document scanner with its own ADF will simplify that job considerably.
Ink and Toner Costs: Do the Math
Forget the initial cost of your printer or MFP: Over time, you'll exceed its price in replacement ink or toner supplies. To ensure that your consumables costs are in line with what your budget can bear, research their pricing carefully. A good rule of thumb is that the lower the printer's sticker price, the higher the price of its ink or toner. Our printer reviews provide details for each model, but you can calculate the relevant figures yourself by follow the simple steps enumerated below.
If you're thinking about refilling ink cartridges to save a dime, check out our "Portrait of a Serial Refiller" series, which details options at Costco, Office Depot, and Cartridge World.
In Video: How to Choose the Right Printer
1. Get the current price of each cartridge from the vendor's own Website. If the vendor doesn't sell cartridges directly to consumers, we average the prices collected from three or more major online retailers. Check to see whether a printer offers high-yield cartridges, which are often cheaper.
2. All inkjet printer vendors publish yield data for their ink and toner cartridges, estimating how many pages a cartridge can print before it runs dry. Most vendors' yields are based on an industry-standard measuring tool–a specific suite of documents printed at specific settings–so the results are comparable across different models. Finding the yields can require a little digging, but feel free to explore, and don't hesitate to bug the vendor for guidance if you can't easily find what you're looking for.
3. For each color, divide the price of the cartridge by the total page yield to obtain a figure for the cost per color per page. Be aware that your mileage will vary depending on what and how much you print from day to day.
One more tip: Check the information on "what's in the box" to see whether you're getting full-size ink or toner cartridges or lower-capacity, "starter"-size supplies.Often, lower-end laser and LED printers come with starter-size supplies, forcing you to buy a full set of replacement cartridges almost immediately. It's getting harder to avoid this vendor trick, but at least you'll be aware of it.
Where to Buy a Printer
If you're shopping on your own rather than relying on an IT professional to help you find a printer, most big-box retailers will have what you need. We surveyed the offerings at 10 big retailers and found that one stood out when it came to shopping for a printer. In addition, you may want to consider retailers that offer specialty services for small businesses, including additional support or discounts.
The Best Printer Fits Your Needs and Your Budget
Finding the best printer for your business doesn't have to be difficult or expensive. All of the available technologies work adequately or better, so it's more important to focus on the features and capabilities you need. After identifying several printers that seem suitable, check their ink or toner pricing to minimize your ongoing costs.