Well, folks, for those of you who have heard me speak, or read my essays about the future of the library… the bad news is, my date of 2020 for these unfortunate changes to take place has just been moved up to 2011… as in right now. A combination of the recession, the economy, budget cuts, [...] Read more – ‘My Vision of Libraries in 2020 Is Already Here’.
One more indictment of the poor old hard copy printed book. While the world thinks it is reading on Kindles, iPads, and various other computers… and we all know that isn’t reading, it is just “viewing” text… the publishing industry is following the digital craze as rapidly as it can. Of course, the idea is [...] Read more – ‘Digital Books First, Coffee Table, maybe not at all’.
Does it really mean anything? Well… for those who were ‘caught’, and I can hardly imagine anyone who wasn’t aware, as far back as two years ago, of Border’s situation, then they are out of luck. If you currently have inventory on hand with them… I would do everything in my power to get it [...] Read more – ‘Borders Files…’.
Do you remember the tax credit of $7,500 or $8,000 or so you have been hearing about throughout the bailout and crisis period for buying a new home or a foreclosed home, and/or a variety of other conditions? Well, the good folks at IRS are reminding you, by certified letter if necessary, that if you [...] Read more – ‘A Tax Glitch for Home Buyers’.
If you have any question left as to whether eBooks are here to stay (and if you do, you should have been out of publishing long ago) here’s a link to an interesting article about Kindle sales for the last quarter… 115 eBooks for every 100 paperback books sold… http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/01/28/5940731-kindle-books-now-outsell-paperbacks/from/toolbar If you still aren’t into [...] Read more – ‘EBOOKS OUTSELL HARD COPY BOOKS’.
Can you imagine?… No Borders stores… maybe a Borders.com for some small online sales. Barnes & Noble reduced from its current size to maybe… maybe a hundred stores in the most prime revenue locations… and a b&n.com wesbite doing some online sales… and its Nook doing a small but steady eBook business. Thus, this part [...] Read more – ‘What Does the Post Borders/B & N Retail Landscape Look Like?’.
Does Borders owe you any money? If so, or even if not, I would NOT ship them one more book until they file for bankruptcy. And then, I wouldn’t ship any more books except on a COD/Prepaid basis. If they owe you money now… a good ‘Plan B’ to kiss it off might be in [...] Read more – ‘FLASH! Borders is toast… again.’.
The big question this month has been: Is President Obama doing the right thing here on the old Bush era tax cut bill? The big answer is, raise taxes on just about everyone, and they WILL remember. Ask George Bush Sr… and if you don’t remember… Read my lips… no new taxes. Cost him a [...] Read more – ‘Tax Bill IS a Good Thing’.
As always, I have this tendancy to find obscure little articles from verifiable sources that most ‘big’ media tend to either underreport or overlook altogether. Whether the newspaper simply runs out of ink, or there really is an agenda, I don’t care. My job is to keep my readers abreast of what is going on [...] Read more – ‘A Few Things I Bet You Didn’t Notice in the News’.
Throughout my career, I have always ‘had a hand in’ consulting with businesses of all kinds seeking professional help with success. Sustainable growth; running a lean machine; cutting costs and controlling those that can’t be cut; using every last tax advantage; finding new and innovative ways to create more revenues; ensuring that as income passes [...] Read more – ‘A Personal Note from Martin Foner’.
Yes, sorry to have to report that the Government actually tells little white lies, ok, big nasty ones, to the public for its own purposes. No, this isn’t a government rant… just the background to help you understand why, in the middle of a terrible recession and possible deflation (or hyper inflation depending on which [...] Read more – ‘Lying as a Fiscal Stimulus Program and How It Impacts Publishers’.