Journamalism

The MSM -- in this case the Bangor Daily News -- fails me again:

Rawding explained that "the more than 20 members of the [Blue Hill 'A Fourth to Remember"] committee … planned the celebration and set the time … so as not to interfere with the long-standing tradition of Brooklin’s Fourth of July parade that has always taken place in the morning hours."

Yes, but where and when exactly is this Brookin Fourth of July parade, oh Bangor Daily News. I can't tell! Give me the blogosphere any day.

Comments

I live in another small Maine town and believe me, the parade in Brooklin will be at the same time and place this year it has always been, and anyone who actually lives in Brooklin or otherwise has any vested interest will know when that is. It's an example of local oral culture. You can call the general store or the police/sheriff department to ask when it is, if you really have to know, but then you'll be clogging up our roads.... As for where the parade is, it's starting at the crossroads near where that barn of Evelyn Ludwig's burned down 10 years ago.

Posted by Bill | July 1, 2007 3:05 PM

It's at 10 AM, I believe (tends to run a bit late). It comes up from Center Harbor and turns right at the general store, ending at Wooden Boat School's offices. There's a bit of a fair afterwards down behind the offices afterwards.

Just go to the Morning Moon and wait for it to show up.

Posted by Gordon | July 1, 2007 4:18 PM

Oh, and BTW, when you talk of going to MDI from Brooklin, shouldn't you use a picture of MDI taken from the correct side? Curious Sedgwickians want to know :-).

Posted by Gordon | July 1, 2007 4:21 PM

I think this is clearly one of those "If you have to ask, you'll never know" sorts of cases.

Posted by Matt (not the famous one) | July 1, 2007 4:57 PM

In this case the blogosphere would supply a spurious exactitude.

Use fuzzy logic- go to town, and listen for the high school band warming up.

Posted by serial catowner | July 1, 2007 6:08 PM

Local wisdom acquired at the General Store suggests that it won't come past the town center until 10:30 or so, but that one should show up by nine to acquire parking and establish a solid position.

Posted by Matthew Yglesias | July 1, 2007 6:10 PM

It sounds like you will definitely be spending the fourth Among the People in the Real America. Be sure and ask a Real American for a quote confirming your pre-existing beliefs that you can then use as an excuse for a lame article.

You're getting older now, it's time to become a real journalist!

Posted by marcus | July 1, 2007 7:42 PM

As I say every time you treat us to some clueless-city-slicker-in-Maine blogging: it's time for rural New Englanders and other colonised rural populations to throw off our chains!

Posted by Ben Cronin | July 1, 2007 9:09 PM

"I was sitting in the coffee shop where the good townsfolk have been gathering for twenty-six generations (no latte-sipping Starbuckers here), when ole Jimmy, an eighty-two year-old one-legged one-eyed fisherman who still goes out on his boat every morning after raising five kids (except Sundays when he's in church praising the Lord for keeping this country free) leaned back and said "y'know, Rorty's really agreein' with Rawls when he says political commitment to liberalism don't need to be based on no darned metaphysical foundation"."

Posted by MikeN | July 2, 2007 1:23 AM

Ahh, reminds me of a NE town where I go biking on roads missing signage. I guess if you don't know where you are, you probably don't belong here.

OTOH, people will offer you directions without asking.

Posted by ronin | July 2, 2007 2:02 PM