What Everybody Should Know About An Inkjet Printer: The One-Year Cost Of Printing

You can purchase an inkjet printer for as little as $39. With a rebate, it may even be less. Not many people would argue about the good deal they got when they purchased their printer. However, the purchase price of an inkjet printer really doesn't tell you much about your cost of printing. After all, you do need paper and inkjet cartridges to keep your printer printing.

If you go to a local car lot and look at the sticker price of a car, you'd see some of the following items: the base price of the car, the cost for each additional feature or package, the number of miles per gallon for both city and road, and the cost of gasoline for one year under normal driving conditions.

What if you got this same type of information for your printer? Would you still buy the same inkjet printer? How would you feel if you knew you would pay more for gas and oil, in the first year you owned your car, than you paid for the car?

Well the fact is, unless you do very little printing, you will pay more for your paper and inkjet cartridges in the first year than you will pay for your inkjet printer. This is especially true for the low cost inkjet printers. In some cases, the cost of one inkjet cartridge is more than the entire purchase price of an inkjet printer.

If you look at an inkjet printer advertisement, you'd learn about some of the following items: the number of pages printed per minute in text and color, the time to print a certain size photo in black and white or color, the number of inkjet cartridges or tanks the printer holds, the near perfect quality of the photo reproduction, the outstanding resolution you'll get from (so many) inkjet nozzles and a packaging list of items that come in the box when you purchase it.

However, in most inkjet printer advertisements, you will not see the cost of the premium paper needed to achieve that outstanding photo reproduction. The replacement cost for a black or color inkjet cartridge is nowhere to be found. About the only thing you will see with a dollar sign is the low purchase price of the printer and possibly the rebate. (They also don't tell you all the steps you have to follow to get your rebate and how it may prevent you from returning the printer to the store if something unexpected happened... but that's another story.)

Now, if you look at some of the most popular inkjet printers, here's what you will find about their inkjet cartridges. On the average, a black inkjet cartridge costs between $22 and $30 to replace. A color printer cartridge normally runs between $35 and $60, depending on size.

To get your inkjet printer to print out those outstanding photos that will last for years, you will need to purchase some premium quality paper. Depending on the size, weight and quantity of the premium paper, you can expect to pay from 60 cents to a dollar per page.

As a consumer, you need to know that the major printer manufacturers are selling their inkjet printers at or below cost. They have adopted the marketing practice used in other industries, like the cell phone or razor blade. That is, they sell their initial product at cost or below and expect to make their real profits on the high mark up of their consumable supplies or services.

Now, don't get me wrong. The quality of the inkjet printer photo reproductions is approaching that of traditional photo processing. The speed of the inkjet printer is constantly rising. The crisp and clear text from the inkjet printer is nearly equal to the quality of laser print. All these are wonderful and welcomed features.

The main point I want to make is this: The real cost of printing is not the purchase price of the inkjet printer. You, the consumer, should be informed of the on-going or real cost of printing. Then, you can decide how much you really want to pay for your printing needs.

If major printer manufacturers were to charge a reasonable price (with profit) for their inkjet printer and reduce the cost of their inkjet cartridges and premium paper, you would realize a substantial savings.

A well-informed consumer is a wiser consumer. If you had a way to estimate the one year cost of printing, depending upon your needs, you'd be able to make a much better informed decision on what inkjet printer would best meet your needs.

Until the major manufacturers change their marketing practices, you can do something about the high cost of printing. There are many reputable online merchants that provide compatible inkjet cartridges and inkjet refill kits that can save you up to 85% on the cost of printing. Five minutes of your time reviewing some of these companies could save you hundreds and even thousands of dollars. That would definitely help you reduce your one-year cost of printing. I thought you needed to know.

About The Author

Larry Andrew is an educational consultant, author and publisher of www.ez-printer-ink.com. Purchasing printer ink, toner and inkjet cartridges on line should be fast, convenient and cost-effective.

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Why You Should Get a PhD in Science

Science is defines as a systematic approach to gather knowledge on nature. It then translates into theories or laws that could be tested. PhD in Science is a general view for those who want to pursue a doctorate in the branches of sciences. Among the available branches of science are like biomedical, genetics, cellular biology, microbiology, pharmacology, physiology, zoology, botany, ecology, forestry, environmental science and anatomy. Courses vary for each different branches of science. Generally a doctorate in any of the branches of science requires many researches, experiments, measurements and analysis as a part of study. There will be theoretical studies but there is also training involves in the particular science one takes up to study further.

One who has a PhD in Science with any chosen branches might land himself or herself a job as a microbiologist, pharmacist, zoologist, botanist, ecologist, biomedical technologist, physiologist and geneticist. Just like any PhD holder, one could also end up in a job of being a professor who lectures and teaches about the specific branch of science that he or she is specialised in. It could be at universities or colleges. One could also be a researcher in his or her field for the government of some private institutes.

We could see that a PhD in Science could bring advantages to individuals, families, society, human and even animals and plants. Without science, many living things will be in vain. The studies and researches of those in the science fields have enhanced health, environment, technology and nature. Most of what we live by comes from science. For those who desire to pursue a doctorate in science, choose one branch of science that really appeals to your passion and interest. But whatever the choice is, we could be sure it will bring advantages to all.

Dennis enjoys writing on wide range of topics such as Online Science PhD and PhD Online Science. You may visit for more details.

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Science Lesson Plans Should Include Media Resources

Science education is a floundering element of the United States educational system. Educators and science advocates are calling for change in the way this subject is taught to teachers and to students. Science lesson plans are lacking due to the scarce amount of resources available. When media options are made available, these plans can be given new life.

Those educators focused on science have argued that math and reading tests mandated by the federal government are taking valuable class time away from the necessary instruction science students so desperately need. There is hope that the new science testing under the NCLB will renew a healthy focus on this topic in the classroom.

The nation is facing a growing issue in terms of science performance as 82 percent of the nation's senior class performed below the proficient level on the 2000 National Assessment of Educational Progress. These disappointing results indicate this problem is bigger than once thought. There is hope, however, as teachers become more proficient in their creation of science lesson plans and media sources are readily available to enhance the curriculum.

It Starts in the Classroom

UC Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science and West Ed conducted a study in the spring of 2007 which found that 80 percent of teachers in San Francisco elementary schools spend 60 minutes or less on science education each week. One has to wonder how these teachers can expect their students to excel in a subject that is given so little time.

This situation is going on along with the loss in the arts. The Center in Education Policy found in 2007 that some school districts have increased the amount of time they spend on math and reading education by more than two hours per week. This increase is in lieu of time for science, social studies, music and art. Science lesson plans are being cut to make room for other subjects.

Is Change Coming?

More and more educators and policy makers are recognizing the loss in science education and are trying to make a change. The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) announced a $43 million, five-year program to create a national Center for Science Education (CSE).

This initiative is expected to promote science literacy and produce the next generation of standards in science education. The CSE will also create a state-of-the-art facility to allow science educators throughout the country to participate in leadership and content-based learning opportunities.

Programs are popping up all over the country that are designed to improve the science education available to students today. With such programs in place, teachers can hope to create science lesson plans that deliver value, even if time in the classroom is limited.

Teachers can also improve upon these science lesson plans with the use of educational videos designed to introduce students to new concepts and methods for conducting scientific experiments and research. Not every student will find the subject of science engaging, but these videos can go a long way to grab their interest by taking the subject to a whole new level.

The small company I work for is committed to creating quality educational videos for classroom instruction. From the earliest script stages, all subject area content, images, and music are intensely reviewed and selected for meeting appropriate grade level, curriculum objectives and standards for our proprietary productions. The videos we distribute are also screened to meet our high standards.

Teachers in the 21st century classroom will be better educators if they understand how to use multi media in their lessons, if they understand the processes that research has shown to be the most effective for improved student performance, and if they know how to find quality video resources that will enhance their lessons.

http://www.schoolvideos.com

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Islam and Science (How Should the Science Be Treated in Islam)

Islam and science has been an oft quoted term for thinkers, writers and common people. It has created so many new interpretations, sometimes positive and sometimes negative. Here our contention is to provide you the basic concepts in Islam to make the idea clear. Islam is a philosophy as well as science, only point to understand is how strong the link is between these two. Has there been any link or not? And if there is to what extent is it practical? We see number of people around us who do not consider science important and therefore do not bring it in their lives arguing that it is a materialistic approach towards life. Is this true for their lives? There have been so many Articles and lectures written on this specific topic and here our purpose is to show you the real picture and let you decide what the reality in Islam is.

Before going into any further detail it is important to know what science really means. There are so many interpretations and here is one of those, "Science basically is an understanding of a particular thing that exists physically and the use of the principles of that understanding for the benefit of the humanity".

After reading the definition one can understand that it is not a new thing because its existence has been long since the beginning of humanity. Man has always tried to make things easier and simpler for his domestic and industrial life. Before Islam great names like Aristotle and Plato are examples for the great work that also highlights the importance of philosophy. Now we will discuss science after the existence of Islam.

Most of scientists and thinkers believe that arrival of Muhammad (SAW) and Quran was the most important and boasting point for science. It is basically arrival of reality that helps to understand the universe and purpose of its creation. In fact that was the period when science got new spirit despite of the fact that philosophical explanations were made continuously. Quran and Hadith describe their position openly and clarifies that there is no clash between Islam and science rather it is wrong explanation of science that has made it suspicious. First we look at the life of Muhammad (SAW). His life is true explanation of the basic of the science in which He rooted out superstitions and old traditions and told the people reality. He knew the importance of knowledge and made it compulsory for every men and women. He raised the degree of learning seventy times higher than prayer to prove that for the understanding of religion, knowledge about universe is important. Is this not the purpose of science? Science also rejects superstitions and makes people aware of true facts of the universe. After Allah Almighty He is the only person who knows everything about this universe and to prove this He spent a practical life and gave principles with logics on all fields of life. Here a question rises, "Did He invent something?" The answer is no, because science is an awareness it does not require invention. Yet His teachings and philosophy are becoming theories of science day by day.

Now we come to Quran, almost every person believes that Quran is the only authentic and sacred book of this universe because books of other Prophets are either changed or not present today. The whole Quran is science in itself and calls the people to discern the hidden realities of the universe. It is said hundreds of times in Quran that there are signs for those who think and understand. Quran explains every field of science and predicts even those things that man does not know. From the creation of this world and man and to the destruction of this universe, Quran explains everything. To prove this following statement is enough, "There is no discovery or invention of the science which is against the basic teachings of Quran and Hadith," Therefore Muslims, Christians, Hindus and Jews, they all know that Quran is the only book of this world that can guide them to find the hidden realities of this universe.

Then where the problem is? This is the real question and here is its answer. Islam says, "We should explore nature and universe to believe in oneness of Allah and to get the blessings of Muhammad (SAW)." It means that the ultimate result should be the formation of a society where, by new discoveries, positive changes come and people becomes obedient to Allah Almighty. This is also the purpose of our creation and science makes it clear for us to be obedient to Allah and Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

What we have done is our wrong approach towards science. We have started to use science with materialistic approach which means we believe only those things that happen before our eyes or that have physical existence. This phenomenon makes us materialist. Basically this concept is against the construct of science because science can only predict something. It is true that there are so many theories that are considered final but on the other hand it is also true that they are not final verdicts. With the progress of science theories change time to time. Take the example of Biology that after every fifty years changes completely. Atom was considered undividable but now it has more than hundred sob-atomic particles. It is because Quran is final verdict not the science and Quran does not require any scientist. Science supports spirituality and those things that do not exist physically. With the scientific discoveries we can predict that there is Heaven and Hell, and that there is life after death. How strange it is that we believe Newton's Gravitational Law and do not believe that if gravitation force is pulled out nothing will survive on the earth.

To make it short, Islam does not believe the materialistic approach towards science rather it takes science as an instrument to guide the people and to make the Quran and Hadith clearer for humanity. Its predictions are and discoveries, if we take them in their real sense, do take us near to Allah and show us the authority of Almighty. How strange it is that Quran that is sent for all the humanity, does not has the link with an ordinary field science.

Your questions and comments are always welcomed by IQRA. You can send your comments or ask questions on svmnom@yahoo.com

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5 Reasons You Should Teach Abroad at an International School Instead of a TEFL Language School

Teachers who are looking to move their teaching career overseas have two options, teach at an international school or teach at a private language school. I've done both and I think that teaching at an international school is the best option. I'd like to share 5 reasons why I think this is true.

Reason #1 - disposable income

When I taught at private language schools, it was a luxury to buy paperbacks, and to have my legs waxed. I had to think about where I was spending my salary because I simply didn't have enough money to spend on non-essential items. Not if I wanted to go on any vacations or have any time off over the summer.

Now that I teach at an international school, I am able to spend my teaching salary as I choose, and still have money left at the end of the month to save. I'm not talking about saving for the summer holidays, or for a rainy day. I can save money just to have it in the bank. I'm now able to save towards a deposit on a house, and contribute to a pension scheme.

Reason #2 - regular paid vacations

When you are an EFL teacher, you will usually sign a contract for an academic year (9 months) or a calendar year. Generally your contract will include a few weeks holiday, but you will be expected to work a larger proportion of your contract's length than if you were teaching at an international school.

At an international school, your teaching contract will be signed for a period of 12 months. Of which you will be expected to teach around 200 days. The rest of the year the school will be closed and you will be able to go on vacations.

I spent 4 years working in the TEFL sector of the teaching profession, and I worked each summer teaching residential summer school courses. Since I've been teaching at international schools, I have been able to take each summer off and travel. I also travel during the school year as there is only two months in the year when I do not get at least a three day weekend.

Reason #3 - normal teaching contact hours

Private language schools that specialise in TEFL are 'cram schools'. The students mostly attend their English lessons around their other school or job commitments. This means that your working hours will be crazy. At my first language school my working day was any hours I was given between 10am and 10pm. I was lucky because the manager of the branch at which I taught was very considerate of her teachers. Not all the EFL teachers working for the same company were so well treated.

At another school I taught at, each week I had days when I worked a split shift. I would be teaching my first lesson at half past seven in the morning, have a few hours off in the middle of the day, then I would have to be back at work and teaching for another 4-5 hours in the evening and finish the day at 9:30pm.

International schools operate regular school hours. If you are teaching at a school that starts early in the morning, then you will be done with your working day in the early afternoon.

Reason #4 - planning time is 'included'

TEFL teachers are employed for contact hours. This is the time you spend in front of students. However, lessons don't just appear out of thin air, teachers need to prepare their lessons and organise resources. When you first start out teaching EFL you may spend as much time preparing for a lesson as you actually do teaching it. I remember when I began, this was the case on a good day, sometimes I'd spend a lot more time agonising over what I was going to do in the lesson than I actually spent in the classroom with my students. Of course, this is not true now, when I am teaching in a well resourced language school, I am able to plan a lesson much more quickly than when I started out.

One thing that TEFL teachers need to know is that while your contract says you must teach 20-35 hours a week, in reality this will mean they are working (between lesson preparation, teaching and marking) 50+ hours a week. And the pay for all your extra time spent planning the lessons is 'included' in your hourly teaching rate. I can tell you, teachers become very efficient in planning their lessons quickly!

Teachers working overseas in international schools are employed as full-time teachers who teach a required number of contact hours. But overseas teachers are employed for the whole teaching day, and so their planning time is included in their salaries. I've taught in regular high schools in addition to international schools, and I have considerably more non-contact time in which to prepare my lessons when I teach abroad at international schools than when I've taught locally at state schools.

Reason #5 - professional development opportunities

I have a number of qualifications in EFL teaching. I have two Cambridge certificates and a Diploma in Second Language Teaching as well. I paid for all of the courses out of my teaching salary, when I didn't have a lot to spare. I sought professional development opportunities to make me a better teacher, and the schools I've worked for have directly benefited from my efforts. But not one of the private language schools I've taught for in the past have ever helped me pay for my professional development.

Most international schools have a pool of money set aside for the professional development of their teaching staff. At my current school, there is a budget set per teacher annually. I went to a summit in Singapore this year, funded by the school. I've used a number of the techniques I learnt at the summit in my classes since I've been back.

In conclusion

I've taught overseas at both international schools and private language schools since I began my international teaching career, and I am happier and feel more valued now that I am teaching in an international school.

I found that many private language schools were run by people solely interested in their profit margin, and the quality of language education offered was hardly a consideration to them.

I now teach at a school where I'm treated like a teaching professional, the students' education is the top priority of teachers and management alike, and I get regular vacations to satisfy my hunger for travel and new experiences.

Kelly has been teaching overseas for a decade and is an experienced TEFL and Technology teacher. For more quality information on teaching abroad at international schools visit her website TeachOverseas.info.

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