This final note today, which I will preface by observing that nine years ago there were 9,000 Blockbuster retail outlets around the country.

But after an announcement today from Dish Network, which bought Blockbuster out of bankrupty two years ago, we learned there will be just 50 — all of them franchise operations.

Dish is going to shut down all the stores its still got running over the next couple of months.

I’m gonna date myself here, but you remember when Blockbuster — and, really, any video rental chain — was so popular that you used to be able to buy videotape rewinding machines as gifts?