El pasado ilustre de los diarios

Dije hace poco que ya no iba a reproducir notas de cierres y despidos y periódicos (como esta del Times sobre MediaNews) -- dejemos esa tarea a The Media is Dying en Twitter, como reporta el New York Times. Pero esta otra nota del Times, sobre el periódico local en Bristol, Connecticut (ciudad que es sede de ESPN), me dejó estos dos párrafos hermosos que quiero compartir con ustedes:
"But if this is the future, at least let us pause to appreciate what a small, imperfect daily newspaper means to this small, imperfect city, where the clocks and watches of America were once made, where General Motors once produced its ball bearings, where ESPN is based, and where springs — yes, unheralded yet essential customized springs — are produced.
Let us pause long enough to notice that copy of The Bristol Press sitting on the sleek gray counter of the Applewood diner, its crossword puzzle half-complete, its clue for 20 across, five letters — “positive thinking” — unanswered. Most mornings a customer leaves behind a copy for the perusal of those who follow. But if no copy has appeared by 6 a.m., Sarah the waitress hurries to the red vending machine outside to buy what might be called the house copy."