Guess Mother Nature is on vacation

... So Beijing meteorologists are lending her a helping hand. Smart scientists, those Chinese. Controlling the weather.

Seems they'll do their damndest to prevent it from raining for the opening ceremonies of the Olympics Friday night.

Eager to ensure rain comes before -- not during -- the Olympics, the Beijing Weather Modification Office plans to seed the clouds that float by beforehand, hoping to wash the pollution from the air and wring out any event-delaying precipitation.

Frankly, we're kind of disappointed they didn't just build a big bubble over the city or ask Yao Ming to hold up a tarp.

Now let's see if these scientists can make our neighbor disappear.