lion of the blogosphere: is chess declining in popularity?

He cites the NY Times cancelling its chess column and then asks if chess is declining in popularity?

lion of the blogosphere (half sigma) posts on chess (again)

Lion of the Blogosphere (who used to blog at Half Sigma) has posted on chess again.  I share these, because it provides (mostly the comments) feedback about other people's perspective on chess, especially in American culture.

"Is chess prole?" and "Chess tutor: another job being outsourced"