Tudor Hughes wrote:
Tonight, as usual, I was down the pub and near the end, when my
mates had gone home (because unlike me they have to work on Monday) I
chatted to the Australian barmaid. She was a qualified science teacher
back in Oz and had an interest in the weather. I think she had also
taught in this country. She was appalled by the sheer idiocy of the
BBC weather presentation and the graphics in particular. She also
mentioned the general dumbing-down of many other things and was
becoming quite embarassed by having to criticise this country but I
told her not to worry as I was far too old to get annoyed and agreed
with most of what she said anyway. Back in Australia they are taught
weather-chart interpretation as part of year 9, apparently. I don't
know if this happens at all in the UK but a a fat lot of good it would
do the pupils if it were. Do we realise how stupid we have allowed
ourselves to become or at least allowed the media to assume we are? At
the risk of offending Australians I'd ask who'd have ever thought
emigrating to Australia would place one in a more intellectual
environment but it seems the question is not impertinent.

I don't know about you, Tudor, but I recall that the weather basics,
including a vertical cross-section of a depression, formed part of the
geography O-Level. What the heck do they learn in Geography today?
The location of Beckingham Palace, perhaps?

Talking about former colonials, the Americans, who in certain parts of
their country are not known for their intellectual aspirations, have a
far less dumbed-down media weather forecasting set-up, notwithstanding
their occasional theatrical presenters.

If nothing else, can the BBC not provide a more technical forecast on
BBC2 or even BBC4 (if anybody watches it)?

Martin





Tudor Hughes.