Newsstands are still around -- in subway stations mainly, I think. But at one time they were on every major corner and a cornerstone of day to day life. People had a choice of several major papers, and hundreds of comics, magazines, and digests. It couild be hard to choose. Indeed, it was a favourite passtime of many people to stand and browse and shoot the breeze with other freeloaders. Not all operators of newsstands were sympathetic, and the expression "are you going to buy it or read it here" was known to almost everyone. It must have roots going far back in history. Shakesphere might amost have used it in Hamlet. Cicero was probably familiar with it in the forum. Moses might well have heard it first, high on Mt. Sinai. But it may be far older than even that...