Eric Hughes, a cryptology expert with Simple Access, an electronic-commerce consulting firm, conducted his own experiment: at a technical conference, he issued a roll of pennies to every participant and explained that there was a one-cent charge, payable into a box beside the door, each time anyone entered the main room.

ECONOMIST: So many ways to pay online

Mark, a master chief petty officer and the ranking noncommissioned officer on the operation, crouched on one knee beside the open door of the lead helicopter.

NEWYORKER: Getting Bin Laden

The trained dog reportedly sensed something suspicious about -- or near -- a vehicle parked close to the West Wing, and sat down beside the four-door sedan.

CNN: White House's West Wing briefly evacuated

It was always charging around the gaff, or asleep, beside its mat at the back door.

NEWYORKER: The Dog

As long as Cuba was not free, she would go on sitting at her computer with her little dog stretched out on the tiles beside her, alert for the telephone, with her front door open and Santa Rita at the ready, and the ceiling fan turning slowly in the smothering air.

ECONOMIST: Laura Poll��n

Sasha was adjusting her yellow eyeshadow in the mirror when she noticed a bag on the floor beside the sink that must have belonged to the woman whose peeing she could faintly hear through the vault-like door of a toilet stall.

NEWYORKER: Found Objects