Long range forecasting

There was a weather forecast in the newspaper yesterday: "The possibility of rain... is between 30 and 40 per cent. If it does rain, it will most likely be only a drizzle." Its not so unusual for a newspaper to carry a weather forecast. What was unusual about this forecast was

(a) it was made by a government official who had nothing to do with the Chinese equivalent of the weather service, and

(b) it was for two years in the future, August 8, 2008. Greg Fishel, eat your heart out.

And why the interest in that day? August 8, 2008 is the day the XXIX Olympiad opens here in Beijing.

So is it the power of positive thinking or one of the advantages of a planned economy?

P.S. Aug 8, 2008 also happens to be the 20th anniversary of the first attempted night game at Wrigley Field.