Alabama

A pair of state (Alabama) lawmakers are asking for $100 million in bonds to replace school textbooks with digital devices. Republican state Sen. Gerald Dial, of Lineville, and Rep. Jim McClendon, of Springville, said textbooks are obsolete and they estimate the state could eventually save $15 million by replacing them with laptops or tablet computers.

Advocates of the idea said allowing children to use tablets or laptops would give them more flexibility in terms of research opportunities, and chances to expand on what they've learned rather than working from prepared texts.

Promo Marketing, a sister publication of Print Professional, has compiled a new Top 50 Suppliers ranking. Despite stricter regulations on the safety and sales of promotional products, 2010 and the first half of 2011 have shown a sales resurgence in the industry. The returning fiscal strength of the industry is evident from the list, which is based on revenue numbers from 2010. Overall, the top 50 suppliers raked in more than $500 million more than they did in 2009. These companies have increased their margins, upped the interest in their products and committed themselves to making it through the financial crises stronger than before, and they are being rewarded for it.