A kiss is still a kiss—but what a kiss it was! When a female naval officer smooched her fiancee during a military homecoming ritual, it indelibly marked the true and final end to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The victories of the past year seemed to come fast and furious: New York finally legalizing same-sex marriage along with Maryland and Washington State; Chaz Bono busting a move as Dancing with the Stars’ first transgender contestant; the snowballing Occupy Wall Street movement demanding justice for the hardworking 99 percent. Even great tragedy, and the still-raw memories of America’s worst terrorist attack, failed to slow the rekindling of our optimism. (And if you want more proof, see GO’s landmark Tenth Anniversary issue this September!)
BORDERS BE GONE
Remember music stores, where you could buy albums by your favorite bands? Yeah, we barely do too—and soon, big chain bookstores may go in a similar direction. In September, Borders Books and Music announced that it would close its remaining 399 stores and liquidate all of its inventory. Certainly the changing way Americans buy and read books had a hand in Borders’ decline, which had last made a profit in 2006; competition from Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com also chipped away at the chain’s growth. At least we still have the NYPL.
What Do You Think?