No more running to the Border(s)

Borders Group Inc. said it would liquidate after the second-largest U.S. bookstore chain failed to receive any offers to save it.

In business circles, it is rumored that Books a Million was looking at buying Borders, but instead of paying top dollar for the name and having to do stock buy-out. They will be able to swoop in and buy the locations from them at pennies on the dollar and expand dramatically. The reason I posted this is that it reminded me of a discussion I had at work a few weeks ago. It was about how books were disappearing and I said that with the advent of electronic devices and our aging infrastructure, we may be heading to another dark age.

Ok, go with me here on this before you scoff. More and more people are using their phones and kindle's and pads and whatever device to read books and magazines. This has dramatically affected the sale of physical books. Electronic media has already caused the demise of many newspapers and magazines. The cost of printing and binding, shipping and all the other costs of producing a book are gone with electronic media. Just create a PDF and send it out for sale. This will lead to books being a niche market like records. They will still make a few for those that want one, and they will be expensive, but the mass majority will only be available on devices.

Now add into this our aging infrastructure. The enviro-nazis have prevented us from upgrading and building new power plants and most of our infrastructure is falling apart. If it starts to go a domino affect will occur causing massive blackouts and periods of long power outages. No power, no electronics. No electronics, no books. No books, no reading. No reading.... well you see where I am going.