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The printing press helped to spread literacy, civic discourse, and even political dissent in colonial America. Without paper, however, the invention of the moveable type printing press would have been insignificant. This crucial communication medium was hobbled by a critical shortage of the raw material needed for printed matter. Paper was in short supply in the colonies and in the new nation as it could only be made from rags, and there was constant difficulty in obtaining enough rags to keep the presses rolling. Pleas for this essential ingredient were constantly seen in the newspapers in early America and there were severe shortages of both paper and the rags from which it was made during the American Revolution. This article examines how desperate were the early Americans for the paper which was necessary both for firing the muskets and for spreading the rhetoric of Revolution. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In the early twentieth century, American newspapers enjoyed high circulations while presenting readers with diverse and plentiful content. After 1920, radio broadcasting made even more information available for public consumption, giving audience members an abundant range of media choices. During a time of plenty for readers and listeners, companies in the business of media struggled with the opposite problem: scarcity. As the amount of media content proliferated, the practical ability to disseminate it was determined by the access to scarce resources, and this was true for both radio broadcasting and newspaper publishing. In many respects, the history of the American mass media in the early twentieth century might best be told as a tale of two scarcities, one—the electromagnetic spectrum—defined by absolute limits and the other—the newsprint—defined by access to markets for a particular material, the supply of which often fluctuated in availability and price. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Rediscovered Map Collection of the John Hay Library offers vivid examples of mapmaking and map use in the United States from 1800 to 1920. This collection testifies to the changing technology and diversifying demands that made maps more available throughout this epoch. Libraries often have hidden treasures of this material, uncataloged and unknown to the community. With some organization and commitment, Americana paper maps can be arranged into a vibrant collection. We break down this epoch into 30-year periods to analyze the tremendous changes that occurred and how they impact libraries today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this column, John E. Dvorak provides insight into some of the best industrial hemp websites on the Internet. Areas covered in detail include news portals, hemp associations, new products and research sites. Reviews relating to specific topics such as hemp food, textiles, paper and other industrial uses will also be periodically touched upon. The ever-changing nature of the world wide web will be reflected in the many different types of websites reviewed. While the focus of this column is on North America, a concerted effort is being made to incorporate as many sites from as many countries as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The author reflects on which high-value commodity could be put forward for the 100th Jubilee spot in the U.S. as of July 2012. He believes the link between an anniversary and the particular commodity associated with it could be proportional to the item's value, such as paper, cotton and leather celebrating the first five years. He is proposing oil, which has reached a price of around 100 U.S. dollars per barrel (bbl), to have that 100th Jubilee spot.

Highlights the application of genetic engineering in altering a key gene in aspen trees in the United States. Percentage of lignin reduction achieved by researchers at Michigan Technological University; Use of lignin; Effect of genetic engineering to the height of trees.