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Anthony Comstock & Comstockery
This site contains good information on Anthony's Comstock's New York Society for the Suppression of Vice. The history of the New York Society, which was passed by the state legislature in 1873, is included as well as an outline of the Society's intents during the Victorian Age. The goals of the New York Society, as stated on this site, were as follows: 1, To obtain information that a crime is being committed; 2, legal evidence of that crime; 3, a warrant in due form of law; 4, that warrant executed, and no notice sent to the criminal to enable his to escape; 5, a trial according to law; 6, a sentence that shall be commensurate with the crime. According to this site Comstock was considered "a terror to evil-doers" and this reputation is what has made him famous to this day.
Source: Prominent Men and Women of the Day
This site contains a brief biography of Comstock, including some major events he participated in as well as his major publications. Some of the major events in his life that this site outlines are the Civil War, in 1868 he joined Young Men's Christian Association campaign against obscene literature, in 1873 he promoted postal regulations against obscenity, he became leader of New York Society for the Suppression of Vice, he led major campaigns against modern art and modern literature, and he led a major campaign against birth control. A unique characteristic of this site is that it contains Harper's interview with Anthony Comstock.
Source: Michigan State University
This site has a brief biography of Anthony Comstock, but mainly discusses his advocating book burning. This site discusses his successful attempt, in 1873, to get the U.S.Congress to pass the "Act of the Suppression of Trade in, and Circulation of, Obscene Literature and Articles of Immoral Use" using such slogans as, "Morals, not art and literature." The act was popularly named after him. It was called The Comstock Law. It also contains information such as the fact that under Comstock's personal direction, more than 120 tons of literature were burned. In this number were books written by authors such as Dos Passos and Hemingway. After his death others burnedliterature under the Comstock Law. Total, over 200 tons of books were burned. This site also includes a helpful link to the Comstock Law.
Source: Suite101.com or "Real People Helping Real People"
A very detailed web site, including basically any information that one could need about Anthony Comstock. Margaret Sanger, a strong women's rights advocate, who was directly influenced by Comstock, is the author of the site so it is a very reliable source. Among the many facts about Comstock that are present on this site, one example of his influence in society is that "he records that he has destroyed 160 tons of literature and brought 3,760 'criminals' to 'justice' during these years." The Web page also includes detailed information about Comstock's persecutions including the suppression of the monthly publication "The Woman Rebel".
Source: International Socialist Review
This site contains basic information about Comstock and his attempts to unnecessarily censor materials that he considered obscene, including the importing or mailing of contraceptives or contraceptive information. A good, brief description of the personal campaign of censorship he advocated is present on this site. This is a good place to visit for a visual picture of Anthony Comstock to accompany other basic facts.
Source: Planned Parenthood
Beisel, Nicola K. Imperiled Innocents: Anthony Comstock and family in Victorian America. Princeton: Princeton Univeristy Press, 1997.
This book discusses Anthony Comstock's life and his family. It also includes information concerning the irrational censoring and destruction of thousands of books during the Victorian Age. This book includes good factual information about Comstock and his influence in society during his time and his continual influence in society today.
This book gives a timeline of censorship in American history. It includes a biography of Comstock and his participation with the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice and his success in getting the Comstock Laws.
Schmiedeler, Micheal J. Cyberspace: freedom or regulation? Produced by Micheal Schmiedeler. 29 min. Film for the Humanities, 1996. Videocassette.
There were not any non-print sources about Anthony Comstock or comstockery in Davis Library so this videocassette is about censorship in general. It discusses censorship, but mainly focuses on the freedom of speech, or lack there of, on the Internet.
Gray, Christopher. (2001, May 27). 1892 House built by a famous crusader against vice. New York Times [Online], p. 7, 1223 words. Available: LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe [Accessed 2001, July 16].
(1996, February 10). If it's legal, it's legal. The Economist [Online], 1451 words. Available: LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe [Accessed 2001, July 16].
Maeder, Jay. (1999, April 29). Anthony Comstock burning the witch. Daily News [Online], p. 41, 1180 words. Available: LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe [Accessed 2001, July 16].
Miles, Steve. (1996, July 7). Defense of marriage bill undermines principle of U.S. federalism. Star Tribune [Online], p. 21A, 627 words. Available: LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe [Accessed 2001, July 16].
Milvy, Erika. (1999, October 1). Cybertainment; observing banned books week with an Internet tour. Los Angeles Times [Online], p. 23, 830 words. Available: LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe [Accessed 2001, July 16].
Tarrant, David. (2000, January 16). A Century of sex. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette [Online], p. G5, 1075 words. Available: LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe [Accessed 2001, July 16].
(Net Business and Economics)
In the last decade, business has made a move to the Internet. Now consumers can buy and sell items online without ever leaving their homes. One business that is based solely on Internet sales and trade is eBay, an online auction site where individuals can buy or sell items online. This site is the world's largest auction that sells almost anything and has 30 million registered users. The five-and-a-half year old site charges sellers a fee to list items and makes a profit by taking a percentage of the final sale price. Currently there are about 6 million items for sale on eBay with about 800,000 to 900,000 added every day. Now there are so many people using eBay, that one survey estimates sellers are making 25 percent less than they were a year ago because there are so many duplicates of items that the bidding is very dispersed. Kevin Pursglove, a spokesman for eBay, notes, "For a garage sale or sidewalk sale, on a good day you'll see several hundred people walk by your merchandise. On eBay that same merchandise can be exposed to nearly 30 million registered users." Plus, most people who sell items on eBay find it fun and a little addictive. This site is unique because it has prospered during a time when many of the dot-com businesses have been struggling. (1)
However, determining whether an Internet company, such as eBay, is profitable is not as easy as it may seem. Many companies advertise being "cash-flow positive, pro-forma profitable or operationally profitable", but those accounting methods leave out big expenses such as acquisitions. EBay was net profitable in their last quarter of reported earnings, which means that they made money after taking all of their expenses into account. One major difference in profitable dot-coms and unsuccessful Internet sites is restrained spending. When Internet sites restrain what they spend and are careful with the money they earn, like not buying huge offices or other expensive luxuries, it makes it much easier to be successful. Another surprising difference is geography. Most small, public Internet companies making money are based hundreds of miles from the Internet's epicenter, Silicon Valley. However, eBay's success proves that Bay area sites can be profitable. (2)
Meg Whitman, chief executive and eBay president, seems to have the key for the development and maintanence of a successful Internet site. "International expansion is core to our business although acquisition is not necessarily the preferred mode, it is an option," she states. EBay is currently looking expansion to Scandinavian markets, Eastern Europe, and the Chinese-speaking territories of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. Latin America is also a target market. Since Whitman's arrival at eBay, the site has been transformed from an obscure online auction site to a business worth $18.7 billion and one 3.5 times more valuable than Amazon, its most famous e-commerce rival, despite the dot-com slump. Whitman credits eBay's uniqueness for its success because, "In many ways the users really do build the market and we provide the platform for that being a success, which is unlike any other e-commerce business." (3)
(1) Lisa Haarlander, "Online garage sales; here's what you need to know about selling your unwanted stuff on eBay or other auction sites," The Buffalo News, 10 July 2001, p. E1, Also Available [Online]: LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe [Accessed: 16 July, 2001].
(2) Verne Kopytoff, "Online and profitable; amid the dot-com carnage, some firms found success on the Web," The San Francisco Chronicle, 9 July 2001, p. D1, Also Available [Online]: LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe [Accessed: 16 July, 2001].
(3) Damian Reece, "Hooray for eBay! Not all is doom and gloom among the dotcoms. Meg Whitman tells Damian Reece how her online auction house is expanding sales and profits," Sunday Telegraph (London), 8 July 2001, p. 6, Also Available [Online]: LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe [Accessed: 16 July, 2001].
This is eBay's official website. On this site you can actually put items up for auction or bid on them.
eBay: Business, Office & Industrial
This site includes the top 10 list of commonly sold items. It discusses the general equipment needed for multiple other industries and also has equipment and supplies lists.
Source: Ebay Inc.
This site contains contrasts and comparisons between Ebay and Amazon.com, including the way each business works on the web and the way they each handle their business.
Source: The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.
This site has a discussion of technical and cultural problems Ebay is encountering when introducing the Ebay site to Europe.
Source: The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.
This site contains an interview with eBay's chief executive Meg Whitman. In the interview, the differences between eBay's dot-com competitor, Amazon.com, are discussed.
Source: The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.
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