The ‘Earplug Theory’ Revisited, Paper360º January/February 2025

The “Earplug Theory” first came to mind after I’d spent about 30 years in the paper industry. I created the document and saved it on my laptop for a year before sharing it with anyone. I was a little concerned this was out of my league—more of an editorial than a technical article. It may have annoyed some people.

Eventually, I sent it to my good friend Floyd Lathbury, a former mill superintendent and corporate papermaking specialist at the Temple- Inland (now International Paper) mill in Rome, GA. He wrote back and said to send it to a magazine. The May 2007 issue of Pulp and Paper included the article, and no one told me they were upset about it; in fact, a few friends sent photos showing they’d torn out the article and displayed it on a wall or bulletin board.

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