The current version of Abode Acrobat Reader (v.7.0.8, I think) has a "snapshot" tool, that lets you cut out the area you want from a .pdf file and paste/print it in another application (eg, Word). That eliminates the unwanted black areas, although it's still an image file rather than a text file and can/will distort if you resize it. Another thing is to always use the "print" icon on Acrobat rather than the one in your browser.