The Storm That Is Always There / holding

The storms system I flew through that day over twenty years ago is still there, and it is the same storm system that may (or may not) be blamed for taking down Air France Flight 447 over the Atlantic the other day. This is the storm system that is always there, and it is the most important storm system on the planet. It is called the Intertropical Convergence Zone, or ITCZ. (Where I come from, this is pronounced "Eye Tee See Zee" or "Eye Tee See Zed" but these days the young-uns are calling it "Itch")

What is the ITCZ? I'm glad you asked, and I'll be happy to explain.