Despite shrines to Obama, the bookstore was nearly deserted.

Shrine #1:



Shrine #2:



Overview of the deserted place:



Where is everyone? It's about 5:30 p.m. here at Borders, and I feel as though I've stayed until after closing time. I used to like to go here to browse alongside myriad strangers and to run into people I knew. Now, there's zero "town square" ambiance.

Here's a title that made me feel good about the way my reading about current politics has, in the past few years, migrated nearly completely on-line:



"What Obama Means." Spare me. Whatever is in that book can — I will bet you — be skimmed and understood in less than one minute.

IN THE COMMENTS: Zachary Paul Sire said:

Off topic, but thought you all should know: I am alive.

UPDATE: "Media Matters doesn't understand the word 'despite.' Talk about dumb." You are dumb, "Erice." People who actually can read know that "despite" ≠ "because of."

UPDATE, 7/19/11: Borders dies.