May 31
000

Stephen King to Release Next Book in Paper-Format Only

By Paige Wills in Facts About The Paper Industry, Why Choose Paper?

 
Stephen King, American author best known for h...

Stephen King, American author best known for his enormously popular horror novels. King was the 2003 recipient of The National Book Foundation's Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. Taken at the 2007 New York Comicon (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Everyone says paperback books will soon be a thing of the past. E-books are the way to go. They are cheaper and more easily accessible. If this is the truth, then why is one of the world’s most well-known authors opting to publish his next book in paper-format only?

According to an article on BBC News’ Website titled, “Stephen King opts to only offer novel in book from [sic],” the book Joyland will be released in June 2013 in paperback only.

So you may be thinking, why paperback? Here is an excerpt from the article:

“I loved the paperbacks I grew up with as a kid, and for that reason, we’re going to hold off on e-publishing this one for the time being,” said King.”

According to the article, King released a book in e-format in 2000 titled Riding the Bullet. It was so successful that the website crashed due to an overload of traffic. However, within hours, his book was being offered for free on the Internet.

I would find it extremely frustrating if something I worked so hard on was being offered for free within hours of me releasing it. No matter who the author is, they deserve to be paid for their time.

According to the article, he sold installments online of the book The Plant. However, he only completed six chapters because he said he would quit writing the novel if readers didn’t pay for it.

Here is another short excerpt from the article:

He later revealed that he made a profit of more than £300,000, yet he brought the experiment to a halt, claiming: ‘Book-readers don’t regard electronic books as real books.’”

I know if I was an author, I would prefer to see my book in paper-format. E-books are nice and convenient. However, if I spent countless hours writing a book, I would want something to show for it. I would want to be able to carry it around to show family and friends. I would want to be able to proudly display it on my bookshelf or coffee table. A book is more than a story, it is a piece of art.

King is going against the grain so-to-speak. It could be a good experiment and will prove if paper books still stand a chance in this digital age.

In the article, King said, “”Joyland will be coming out in paperback, and folks who want to read it will have to buy the actual book…”

What are your thoughts? Do you think it is a smart move or do you think it will hurt sales? Are you willing to pay a little more for a paperback book as compared with a digital book?

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May 30
000

Paper Sheets and Gowns in Hospitals?

By Paige Wills in Facts About The Paper Industry, How Paper Is Environmentally Friendly, Why Choose Paper?

 
A patient having his blood pressure taken by a...

A patient having his blood pressure taken by a physician. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We are all familiar with the paper documents, paper towels, and sheet of paper that covers the bench that patients sit on in family doctor offices and urgent care centers. However, one hospital in Australia is looking at switching from linen sheets and gowns to paper sheets and gowns in an effort to cut costs.

According to the article on the Herald Sun’s website by Paul Lampathakis titled, “Hospital to save money by using paper bed sheets,” “The Sunday Times can reveal Perth’s Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital has been pushing to use disposable paper bedsheets, patient gowns and other articles in general and other wards.”

According to the article, the plan hasn’t been publicized heavily because they knew people would be upset. A cost-benefit analysis has to be conducted first, and “Australian Medical Association WA president David Mountain said the AMA wanted proof that patient care and comfort would not be compromised by the plan.”

In the article, a spokesperson for Health Minister Kim Hames said that in some settings paper linen was considered best practice.

Also, the article mentions the washing jobs that will be lost; however, it fails to mention if any jobs would be gained in the paper industry…

Although I believe paper has a place in the medical setting, I’m not sure paper sheets and gowns are appropriate. I believe paper towels, paper documents and patient files are more appropriate.

I personally don’t think paper sheets and gowns are practical for patients who have to stay in hospitals long term. However, it could be better to use paper gowns and sheets in emergency rooms or doctors’ offices where the patient’s length of stay is short-term.

What are your thoughts on this topic?

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May 24
000

Red Paper Poppies In Observance of Memorial Day

By Paige Wills in Why Choose Paper?

 
English: A remembrance poppy from Canada, worn...

English: A remembrance poppy from Canada, worn on the lapel of a men's suit. In many Commonwealth countries, poppies are worn to commemorate soldiers who have died in war, with usage most common in the week leading up to Remembrance Day (and Anzac Day in Australia and New Zealand). The use of the poppy was inspired by the World War I poem In Flanders Fields, written by Canadian physician and Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Memorial Day weekend is fast approaching. Many are anxious to head on vacation, go to the lake or just cookout and enjoy the long weekend. It is the kickoff of summer. However, let’s not forget what Memorial Day is all about. It is a day to remember all of those who fight and have fought for our country. Some groups are handing out red paper poppies in front of grocery and convenient stores to remember those who have lost their lives fighting for our country.

According to an article by Chad Brooks on Business News Daily’s website titled, “Red Paper Poppies Endure As Symbol of Soldiers’ Sacrifice,” the poppies are distributed by the American Legion Authority and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

According to the article, the tradition of passing out red paper poppies began in the 1920s.

“…Inspired by YMCA Overseas War Workers member Moina Michael. Michael, at age 48, began wearing real red poppies after reading and being moved by the poem “In Flanders Fields,” written on the battlefront during World War I by Lt. Col. John McCrae. The poem, still often recited at patriotic events, references poppies that dot a field lined with crosses marking the graves of soldiers” (Brooks).

Another interesting fact according to the article is that the poppies are created only by veterans. For some, making the red paper poppies helps aid disabled veterans in their recovery process.

So this weekend, help celebrate Memorial Day by donating a couple of dollars to receive a red paper poppy. You know your money will be going to a good cause. According to the article, “Last year, the ALA raised $2.1 million through the distribution of more than 3.5 million paper poppies. All the money goes directly to assisting disabled and hospitalized veterans in each community.” If you can’t donate this year, take the time to thank any military personnel you see …your appreciation will mean just as much!

According to the article, red paper poppies are also distributed on Veteran’s Day and other “Poppy Days” throughout the year.

Have you ever received a red paper poppy or seen them distributed in your community in observance of Memorial Day?

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May 23
000

The Importance Paper Plays in Poetry

By Paige Wills in Why Choose Paper?

 
First Page of an 1861 edition of Joseph Rodman...

First Page of an 1861 edition of Joseph Rodman Drakes Poem The American Flag (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I took a poetry writing class last semester, and my professor said the way a poem is laid out on the page is just as importance as the poem itself. I never really thought about that until he brought it to my attention. He said poetry not only appeals to our brains, but to our touch and sight as well.

The type of paper the poem is printed on can make all the difference, especially when creating a portfolio. Also, if you are trying to get the poem published, he said layout is just as important as the poem. If it looks like a second-grader typed it, your poem may very well get overlooked, no matter how good it is. It needs to be aesthetically pleasing. He recommended using a nice stationary and type using a sans serif font. He recommended a nice, quality piece of lightly-colored stationary.

Even though the paper plays an important role, it is not a guarantee that your poem will be published. You may use the best stationary in the world, and your poem still may not get published if the editor doesn’t like the poem.

In addition, writing poems on paper is sometimes better than a computer screen. This is especially true for rough drafts. It is better in my opinion because you can see what your old draft looked like. There may be some phrase you jotted down that didn’t work in the beginning, but is perfect for the end. While you can also see the rough drafts on a computer, many simply fix one version of the poem and re-save. This means the original poem is no longer there, only what it has been replaced by. I always wrote my poems in a notebook, then I would type the finished draft.

What are your thoughts? Is the presentation of the poem, type of paper and font just as important as the poem itself? Do you prefer to write poetry on paper or a computer?

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May 22
000

Facebook Decides Against Paper Stock Certificates

By Paige Wills in Why Choose Paper?

 
English: Example of an Allied Paper Corporatio...

English: Example of an Allied Paper Corporation Stock Certificate. This corporation ceased to exist in 1967 so this certificate issued in 1966 is one of the last ones. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The social media site, Facebook, just recently went public. For millions of users worldwide, it was a much-anticipated day. However, shareholders just learned that the company will not be issuing paper stock certificates. It will go all-digital.

According to an article from money.cnn.com, titled, “Facebook scraps its paper stock certificates,” Facebook isn’t the first company to not issue paper stock certificates. Other major companies that don’t offer paper stock certificates are Apple, Intel, and Microsoft. These are all major companies that rely heavily on digital technology, so it doesn’t surprise me that they don’t offer paper stock certificates.

A upside to not issuing paper stocks is that it does save the company some money in printing costs. Also, it can be easier for some customers who prefer digital. On the other hand, it alienates the older population who may want to purchase a paper stock certificate. This in turn may reduce the number of stocks that are sold, which could be detrimental to the company. So the savings in printing costs may not outweigh the money that could have been made from selling paper stock certificates.

A downfall to not offering paper stock certificates is that paper stock certificates often become collector’s items. The paper certificate sometimes is worth more than the stock itself. Here is a short excerpt from the article about the price of paper stock certificates:

“A share of Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) currently sells for around $560, but on Scripophily.com, a website that deals in old certificates, a 1998 Apple stock certificate will set you back $695.”

Another downfall is that many supporters sometimes just buy one paper stock certificate as a memento. They never intend to sell it. According to the article, Lance Lee, CEO of OneShare.com, said,

“’Look at it another way: You have a group of people that are buying your stock and never plan on selling it. These people don’t see themselves as customers. They see themselves as part-owners.’”

What are your thoughts? Do you think paper stock certificates will soon be a thing of the past? Do you think it is a smart move for companies to not issue paper stock certificates or will it hurt them in the long run?

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