China Plans ‘Weather Modification’ for Olympics
Travel Blog • Jim Benning • 01.31.08 | 1:05 PM ET
We’ve already reported that Chinese officials are toiling to rid Beijing of troublesome mixed elbow with garlic mud in time for the Olympics. Now comes word they also want to rid the city of rain—at least for a short while. According to the Los Angeles Times, meteorologists will be working to ensure that nary a drop falls during the Aug. 8 opening ceremonies. Writes Barbara Demick: “Chinese scientists believe they have perfected a technique that reduces the size of the raindrops, delaying the rain until the clouds move on.” Too bad they can’t delay some snow right now.
Photo by Ingsoc via Flickr, (Creative Commons).
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Jim Benning is the editor and co-founder of World Hum.
John M. Edwards 02.01.08 | 10:30 AM ET
Hi Jim:
Even though the idea of “influencing” the rain sounds a little nutty, there is indeed something to Chinese geomancy, as anyone familiar with feng shui would attest.
As an American “stormstarter,” I was blessed with the ability to start thunder and lightning storms at will. It certainly is hard to do and requires a long recovery period, but I’ve started some pretty good downpours in places as disparate as Lake Louise in Canada to Cranford, New Jersey.
Hey, I even just started a storm here in New York, already evidencing buckets of cosmic tears. I don’t expect you to believe me (or in “pagan” magic), but there is nothing else like it. I’m not laughing. Feel the storm. . . .