A Lesson In British Geography, From CNN

CNN's map of Britain (screengrab from the Daily Mail, amended by Anglophenia)

Hey, it’s OK, we get it. Us Brits know just how important we are on a global scale, and how much time and effort goes into learning all about our fine country for the purposes of reporting the news. You’re a busy nation, there’s a lot of news, our ‘special relationship’ appears to be on the slide…why should anyone bother to check where our capital city is on a map? I mean who’s going to notice? Geography professors? Political science majors?

This is a screengrab, taken by the Daily Mail, of a CNN news report into the British phone-hacking scandal. The action of the story takes place in London, which as you can see from the map, is very much Not Cornwall. However, the place CNN is pointing to is not London either, That’s Norfolk, a very rural county miles and miles away from the metropolitan hub of our great nation. It’s the equivalent of putting a New York sticker on Florida.

We’ve put the actual London back in its proper place, just so you know where it is, should you ever want to visit. Just look for the pointy bit on the bottom right-hand corner of the island and follow the top edge until you reach the underside of the bulgy bit above. That’s London.

Still, at least you know where Cornwall is.