Tight Paper Market
After years of downsizing, international paper markets may face shortages due to a dockworker strike in
The dockworkers settled their strike March 19th after Finnish paper producers cut production by 70%.
India is poised to ramp up production to take advantage of the current spike in pricing.
Although some American paper mills immediately began allocating (rationing) paper, caution needs to be used when changing paper suppliers. The Amended Lacey Act is now law and you will need chain of custody documentation for your book papers proving they are not from threatened or rain-forest habitats or you will be liable for infractions to the same extent as the printer, the paper vendor, etc.
Another Google Opt Out Lawsuit
Google's model of introducing inclusive products that require users to opt out of participation faces another lawsuit for including 31 million Gmail addresses in its newGoogle Buzz social networking product without the address holders consent.
Do Games Sell Books?
Random House has announced it will partner with video game creator Stardock in an effort to enhance the sale of ancillary gaming products like, books, posters, trading cards, comics, reference books, etc.
Future of the Book
They say that if you only have a hammer, all of your problems look like nails.
HP sponsored a webinar on the future of the book, which posits that digital production across multiple media platforms will save publishing.
Since HP is trying to be the dominant supplier of digital production equipment, take it all with a big grain of salt but the webinar has as much information as hype.
(Download the free MS Silverlight plug-in to watch the video, available at the HP site.)
3D Printing
Azuna LLC has pioneered the ability to print non-lenticular 3D images on a synthetic substrate. Information and a free sample are available here.
Eco-Freebie
If you have an iPhone or Blackberry, this free Eco-Calculator app from Neenah paper quantifies the ecological benefits of using recycled paper as well as paper made with renewable energy. It's also available online for PCs here. If you have questions about how many sheets of paper and the sheet size your book requires, call me or ask for the information when you request pricing.
Down but Not Out
As stockholders were heading for the exits anticipating a $42.5 million loan default, Borders surprised the industry with a 1st quarter $59.9 million profit in spite of a drop in sales.
