Pools are dead because the block rewards are now at 1 TOP, with a bonus block of 10 per hour, and one per day that rewards 100.  Everyone is solo mining now because difficulty adjusted accordingly when everyone stopped mining for profit.  Now, most of us are mining to support the network.  When price increases, the pools will probably fire back up.

We are alive because we have a thriving community, a kick ass dev, and thus, we are finding more and more purpose for Topcoin.