‘Reassuring News’ from the 2008 Beijing Games …

Not all the global commentary about the Olympic torch relay is serious. Le Monde’s Robert Sole writes in this tongue-in-cheek op-ed, “Yes, clouds are threatening the Olympics in Beijing. But Chinese authorities have just given us some reassuring news: an arsenal is being prepared to make sure that it doesn’t rain during the opening ceremonies on August 8. Twenty-one teams are spread around the capital to watch the heavens and if necessary, launch rockets containing silver iodide into the upper atmosphere to trigger rainfall before it can reach the stadium … After all, you never know what kind of storm the anti-China “clique” might cause. Has it not already tried – by spitting – to extinguish the flame in London, Paris or San Francisco?”

By Robert Solé

Translated By Philippe Guittard

April 11, 2008

France – Le Monde – Original Article (France)

Yes, clouds are threatening the Olympics in Beijing. But Chinese authorities have just given us some reassuring news: an arsenal is prepared to make sure that it doesn’t rain during the opening ceremonies on August 8. Twenty-one teams are spread around the capital to watch the heavens and if necessary, launch rockets containing silver iodide into the upper atmosphere to trigger rainfall before it can reach the stadium. There will also be three aircraft on alert, ready to take off.

Local meteorologists set the probability of rain on August 8 at 47 percent. Only extremely heavy precipitation (a 6 percent risk) would be impossible to combat.

READ ON AT WORLDMEETS.US, along with continuing translated coverage of the Olympic torch controversy.