World Record Baseball Game: Less Than 30 Days

October in St. Louis is right around the corner. Just as the Gateway City’s own, Dirxion, stands alone at the top of the digital publishing industry, so too the St. Louis Cardinals are perched on top of the Central Division, holding the best record in all of the National League in their mighty bird talons. At Dirxion though, this time of the year also means that we are less than 30 days from an even larger and more anticipated baseball game.

You’re probably thinking to yourself, “More anticipated than postseason baseball?!? Which teams could possibly be playing in this game?”

It is a long-awaited rematch between the 1944 American League Champion St. Louis Browns and the 1944 National League Champion St. Louis Cardinals.

“The Browns don’t exist anymore and shouldn’t most of those guys be dead by now? How is this possible, Brad?”

Yes, and anything can happen through the power of pretending.  No more questions.

To raise money for the Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center, forty men with big hearts (and maybe a little less talent than those other guys) will be wearing the uniforms of the teams from the ‘44 Streetcar Series, commemorating the 65th Anniversary of the one and only all-St. Louis World Series. Their goal is to play a 48-hour non-stop baseball marathon to raise funds for this admirable cause while breaking their 2007 Guinness World Record… plus, probably, three hips and two ankles.  Playing baseball for that long sounds fun, but it will probably not come without some wear and tear, so we hope you will help support their efforts.

Dirxion Software is one of the lead sponsors of the World Record Baseball Game, so we intend on keeping you updated right here, from the first pitch to the 3748th.  The game isn’t for another 29 days, so in the meantime check out the World Record Baseball Game Website for details regarding all the events going on around the TR Hughes Ball Park the weekend of October 9, 10, and 11, and to find out how you can get your free tickets.

Press Release: EdgeClix For Directories

We’re happy to report that our press release announcing “EdgeClix for Directories”, was released at midnight and can be found in several places online!

Press Release

Digital Publishing Provider Dirxion Increases Advertiser Value with EdgeClix for Yellow and White Page Directories

If you get a chance, check it out!

(Editor’s note: If you’d like an economical and highly effective way to promote your new digital publication, a press release is the way to go! With enhanced SEO features and even the ability to insert images and videos, press releases have come a long way. We use PRWeb.com for our releases, as they do a wonderful job).

Web Sales Offsetting Retail Downturn

Online initiatives are increasingly becoming more important than ever in the retail business world. As in-store sales continue to decline, major retailers are quickly finding a balancing act by getting more serious in the online sector.

Whether it’s offering rich media experiences through their website, or hopping on the lucrative social networking gold wagon, opening up new online channels for business is going to play a key part in quite a few large retailer’s bottom line.

For more on the story, go here.

Besides social networking, website improvements and big fancy ad campaigns, another unique idea would be implementing a digital catalog that gives the customer the exact look and feel of the store’s print catalog. This adds another channel that customers can use to find the products they want, in a timely fashion.

To find out more about a digital catalog solution and what Dirxion has to offer, take a look here.

Digital Publishing Buzz Steals The Show

There was an interesting article over at NYTimes.com yesterday that talked about the fast growing market of ebooks (regular books in digital form).  The popular BookExpo America tradeshow wrapped up this weekend in New York, and the buzz around the tradeshow floor was all about electronic readers, ebooks, digital publishing, and any other buzzword that relates to the hottest trend in publishing.

Of course, there are mixed feelings on the subject of digital publishing, with even a few authors that are calling digital stories “elitist”. But the authors that are making the sales and moving forward with technology are the ones embracing devices like the Amazon Kindle and the future lineup of electronic reading devices set to launch in the coming months.

As reported in the NYTimes.com article, ebooks make up a mere 1%-3% of sales so far, but it’s the fastest growing segment of the publishing industry.

At any rate, it’s a great article with even better insight on the recent show and the publishing industry, so check it out here when you get a chance.

Happy Earth Day 2009 From Dirxion

April 22nd is one of those days of the year that Dirxion takes very seriously, mainly due to the fact that we are proud to be a green company and not only that, but the products we sell have a direct positive impact on our environment (taking print to digital). Earth Day is one of those days where we celebrate our progress and the steps we’ve taken to help the environment as a company, and as individuals.

Earth Day has been celebrated for nearly the past 40 years, and was created to inspire awareness and appreciation for our environment. Earth Day was founded (back in 1970) by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in, and since then, it’s widely celebrated in many countries worldwide.

Dirxion has many practices and initiatives in place all throughout the year to help contribute to the well being of the environment, including but not limited to:

1. For every digital publication we produce, we donate $1 to Arbor Day Foundation. (We love trees!)

2. We provide employees with reusable shopping bags that they can use for grocery shopping, or anything else that would require a plastic or paper bag.

3. Dirxion employees are FANTASTIC at recycling. We have many designated recycling containers set up for all types of waste products (paper, aluminum, glass, etc…)

4. Recently, Dirxion employees were given Kleen Kanteens (and most of us use them daily!).

There are so many things we do here at Dirxion to help clean up and maintain a healthy environment, and it doesn’t stop at work for many employees. We have quite a few dedicated green people on staff, and we’re proud of their efforts, because they really do make a difference.

In case you’re wondering how you can play your part in maintaining beautiful Mother Earth, below you’ll find a list of Earth Day related websites that are all jam packed with information and helpful tips that will officially turn you “green” in no time at all!

1. EarthDay.Gov (official Government portal for Earth Day information and resources).

2. Earth Day Network (filled with enough Earth Day information to keep you busy for days).

3. EPA Earth Day Site (official Earth Day page of the EPA)

4. Wildnerness Society (official Earth Day page of the Wilderness Society)

5. World Wildlife Earth Day Page (official Earth Day page of WWF)

6. Earth Day For Kids (Government Earth Day site geared towards kids)

7. Sierra Club Earth Day Page (official Earth Day page for Sierra Club)

8. Earth Day History (from Earth911.com - a page full of Earth Day historical information)

9. Nature Conservancy (official Earth Day page for the Nature Conservancy)

10. Earth Day Canada (for our Canadian friends, this is the Earth Day Canada page)

There are hundreds of great websites and blogs out there that are all about Earth Day, the environment, and anything to do with nature, but we figured the ten above should give you a good start. One of the recurring themes on all of the sites above is the “just get out and do something” phrase. If you truly want to help, and if you’re not one that regularly practices eco-friendly habits, just try something for a day. Recycle some cans, replace your old lights with energy conserving flourecent bulbs, or one of a thousand other ideas you’ll find in some of the sites listed above.

Also, to find out more about Dirxion’s green initiatives, head over to our “Going Green” page. And if you have any questions about making the switch from print to digital (which is also very green!), head over to our contact page and send us an email or give us a call, and we’ll be happy to discuss your needs!

Did You Catch The “Profiles Series” Last Thursday?

Just in case you missed Neg Norton and Scott Klein on the the “Profiles Series” on Discovery channel last Thursday, March 26th, here is a direct link to the YPA segment:

The Impact of the Yellow Pages on the Environment

It was a very interesting and informative show, so check it out if you get a chance. We highly recommend doing so, especially for those in the industry!

The Impact of the Yellow Pages on the Environment to be Discussed on Dicovery Channel’s: The Profiles Series

Don’t miss Neg Norton and Scott Klein, president of Idearc on:

The Profiles Series on The Discovery Channel
Thursday, March 26 at 7:00 a.m. (EDT)

Topic: The impact of the Yellow Pages on the environment

Hosted by Academy Award-winning actor, Lou Gossett, Jr., this series of programs highlight the efforts of companies, activists, associations and others who tackle the difficult environmental challenges they face each day. Our segment explains the impact of the Yellow Pages on the environment and the steps our industry is taking to ensure that we are responsible stewards.

Neg Norton explains the industry’s programs and initiatives on the environmental front over the past 15 years. Scott Klein is featured discussing the production activities at Idearc and the changes they’ve made over the years to responsibly manufacture their directories. Some of the segments were filmed at the Idearc Distribution Center, in Fullerton, CA and include Idearc employees.

Turning Off The Lights For Earth Hour - March 28th, 2009

Are you ready for the largest climate event in history?

On March 28th, between 8:30-9:30pm (local time), millions of people, including thousands of major companies will be taking part in what is universally known as “Earth Hour”. During Earth Hour, all of these people and companies around the world will turn off the lights for a period of one hour, to demonstrate their commitment to slowing the effects of climate change.

Take a look at this quick history lesson about Earth Hour, courtesy of WorldWildlife.org:

In March 2008, Earth Hour went global. More than 400 cities, thousands of businesses and over 50 million people around the world turned off their lights for one hour to demonstrate their commitment to slowing the effects of climate change. The movement captured the public’s imagination with lights going out at some of the world’s most iconic landmarks including the Sydney Opera House, Bangkok’s Wat Arun Buddhist temple, the Coliseum in Rome, Stockholm’s Royal Castle, London’s City Hall, New York’s Empire State Building, Sears Tower in Chicago and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Other symbols going dark included Cola-Cola’s famous billboard in Times Square and the Google homepage.

There are huge plans for Earth Hour 2009.

For the 2009 event, the goals for Earth Hour are bigger because the stakes are higher. Already, over 250 cities in 74 countries have agreed to take part including Atlanta, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami and Nashville with more signing up every day. Around the world cities like Moscow, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Shanghai and Mexico City will turn out their lights in support.

Here at Dirxion, we’re very excited about Earth Hour and looking forward to participating in this massive worldwide event. To learn more about our green initiatives, click here.

To find out more information about Earth Hour, first watch this video. Then you can head over to the official Earth Hour website and sign up, as well as learn more about how you can participate and spread the word.

Earth Hour 2009. Turn out. Take action.

Printed Monographs Going All Digital

With the recent major news involving a few large newspapers switching to an all digital form, it’s no surprise to hear that many universities will soon be producing digital editions of their monographs.

With the economic downturn, university presses and university library budgets are strained, and one of the quickest and easiest ways to save a significant amount of money is by switching to an all digital version. One of the first institutions to announce the switch to digital was the University Of Michigan.

Readers of the monographs will still be able to use a print on demand service if they want to have a physical version of it, but over 50 of the 60+ monographs the press publishes each year will be available digitally.

As reported by InsideHigherEd.com:

“Because digital publishing is so much less expensive — with savings both in printing and distribution — the press expects to be able to publish more books, and to distribute them electronically to a much broader audience. Michigan officials said that they don’t plan to cut the budget of the press — but to devote resources to peer review and other costs of publishing that won’t change with the new model. Significantly, they said, the press would no longer have to reject books deemed worthy from a scholarly perspective, but viewed as unable to sell.”

Although Michigan is one of the first schools to make the total switch to digital, other schools who have been experimenting with digital book publishing, such as Penn State, will soon realize the cost saving benefits of making the switch to digital.

Seattle Post Intelligencer Going Online Only

Not too long ago, we brought you news about major newspapers who were considering or already had transitioned into an online operation only.

Today, another major paper, the Seattle Post Intelligencer, is prepared to go with an online only version of the paper if no buyers are found by March 10th, and so far, no buyers have been found for the struggling paper.

Some of the paper’s 180 employees received provisional offers to stay on board assuming the PI goes online, which is nearly inevitable at this point.

The smart, yet bold move to go online only is making waves across the blogosphere and social media sites. This shows the power and immediate cost cutting effect of eliminating print costs, especially when you’re talking about a massive newspaper operation like the Seattle PI.

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