What's the problem? I enjoyed "like a hitchhiker's thumb that lost its way". And that opening paragraph was badass.

It's not specific to NYT, you see it in any newsmagazine type article. Washington post and Boston globe are also big offenders. I can just imagine them sitting around some pub drinking expensive liquor and talking about how bloggers will never be able to replace the sort of serious, high quality journalism they do.

The snobbery is jut dripping off every word in that article.