The rythm of the falling rain

Even the New York Times is interested in the controversy surrounding the BBC's new weather map:

"The complaints proved several things. First, despite the explosion of rival cable and digital channels, Britons still regard the BBC as their in-house broadcaster and all-purpose punching bag, a proprietary institution in which everyone has a stake and an opinion, and in which even the smallest change is occasion for national browbeating and self-castigation.
Second, there is no danger any time soon of the weather relinquishing its special status as Britain's universal ice-breaker, conversation-filler, and smoother-over-of-awkward-moments. In this way, the new reports are useful because they give people something weather-related to talk about, other than whether or not it is likely to rain (a pointless topic, because it usually is)."

Always useful to see ourselves as others see us.