Newspapers

I found it somewhat ironic that the blog of the day yesterday at old blogger.com was promoting a site ( newspaperproject.org) that was championing the cause of newspapers. It's a sad fact but the biggest reason newspapers are in trouble is the fact that people can get the news nearly as fast as it happens by logging on to a computer of some sort. Laptops and phones can bring you constant updates instead of waiting 12 to 24 hours like newspaper coverage. Television news hasn't really been a threat because they broadcast on the same type of schedule. Granted CNN and others have news around the clock but news junkies are going to watch that and get a paper.

As far as I'm concerned, you still can't beat the daily newspaper. Like a lot of kids, I used to have a paper route - learned some valuable lessons about business and people. It gave me a little spending money and a little responsibility. You delivered the paper seven days a week and collected for it every two weeks. Some people would give you a tip and others would bellyache about something. Some didn't like you pestering them for the money and others were always glad to see you.

I take three papers now. I read the Chicago Tribune everyday and my wife peruses two local papers. She passes along anything she finds she feels might be of interest to me. I do the daily crossword and read the funnies. I always read the editorial page and the business section. Whenever I travel I always try to pick up a local paper. I spend a lot more time now in front of a computer than I ever would have imagined a couple of years ago, but I can't imagine the computer taking the place of my newspaper or books. You can shove the sports section in your hip pocket and take it along for coffee break or finish off a busy day with the paper in bed. Nothing better than coffee and the Sunday morning paper in bed, either. Well, I can think of one thing but I usually settle for the paper. Handiest flyswatter as well.

It's just a bloody shame they're in trouble. It says a lot about us as a society.