China Claims Score In Weather Manipulation 147
hackingbear writes "Despite prior skepticism over effectiveness, China claims successful application of weather intervention to ensure a stunning Olympic opening ceremony, according to a report by the official Xinhua News Agency:
'We fired a total of 1,104 rain dispersal rockets from 21 sites in the city between 4 p.m. and 11:39 p.m. on Friday, which successfully intercepted a stretch of rain belt from moving towards the stadium,' said Guo Hu, head of the Beijing Municipal Meteorological Bureau (BMB).
While there wasn't a single drop of rain over the National Stadium — also known as the Bird's Nest — during the opening ceremony from 8:00pm-12:00am on August 8, the weather services said that Baoding City of Hebei Province, to the southwest of Beijing, received the biggest rainfall of 100 millimeters Friday night, and Beijing's Fangshan District recorded a rainfall of 25 millimeters."
Re:Absence of evidence is not evidence of Absence (Score:3, Funny)
You could also claim that a squig of nutmeg around your neck will prevent alien abductions.
Well, it's worked for me so far.
Confucius say (Score:5, Funny)
He who controls the weather, reigns supreme
Thanks, I'll be here all week!
Re:China... (Score:5, Funny)
THERE IS NO SMOG., (Score:4, Funny)
That's just mist. It'd just evaporation and humidity. Stupid American propagandists.
In other news... (Score:3, Funny)
The polar bear repellant has kept the streets of Beijing free of polar bear activity.
Ob. Simpsons (Score:4, Funny)
Or, to put it in a more Slashdot-friendly way:
Homer Simpson: Not a bear in sight. The Bear Patrol must be working like a charm.
Lisa Simpson: That's specious reasoning, Dad.
Homer: Thank you, dear.
Lisa: By your logic I could claim that this rock keeps tigers away.
Homer: Oh, how does it work?
Lisa: It doesn't work.
Homer: Uh-huh.
Lisa: It's just a stupid rock.
Homer: Uh-huh.
Lisa: But I don't see any tigers around, do you?
[Homer thinks of this, then pulls out some money]
Homer: Lisa, I want to buy your rock.
[Lisa refuses at first, then takes the exchange]
Re:Absence of evidence is not evidence of Absence (Score:5, Funny)
Given such clouds, you drop silver iodide into them and you'll increase the chance of the rain event happening now rather than a bit later, and probably increase the volume of rain too.
I'm wondering, from a purely technical point of view, whether this technique would be appropriate for the smug clouds known to exist over parts of Los Angeles. And if so, would you get rain, or an increase in the smugness index?
Re:On tomorrow's agenda... (Score:4, Funny)
1988 called... (Score:2, Funny)
They want their article back.
The article you linked to contains the following dateline: "Published: October 28, 1988"
Way to keep up with current events.
Re:This weather machine is a tad anti-climactic .. (Score:3, Funny)
"This weather machine is a tad anti-climatic"
There, fixed that for ya.
Re:Confucius say (Score:1, Funny)
No, you don't have to explain things here, this isn't digg :-)
Re:China... (Score:2, Funny)