We've been hearing about how terrible the pollution is in Beijing for quite a while now. There's even been talk that events could be moved or delayed as a result of the pollution. And basically no countries will base their athletes in or near Beijing, but instead in places like Korea, Japan and Macau.

But then, at some point, you've actually got to actually go to Beijing to compete, right? Right. So naturally one Olympic team has come up with a solution: specifically designed face masks. Or borderline gas masks.

Yep, the always intelligent Brits have designed a prototype face mask that they'll have Olympic athletes wear for their final preparations in Beijing before competing. The mouthpieces will contain absorbent material so that the athlete breathes in through a filter.

Under Olympic rules, athletes must remove their masks to compete but, if air quality is poor, they will be encouraged to wear them while warming up until just before their events begin. Sounds awesome.

Unfortunately, the face masks aren't the enormous pull-over-your-head type deal, which is too bad. I was hoping to have the marathon event look like a group of WWI troops charging through mustard gas. But whatever. Bizarre face masks that look like giant cartoon mustaches will have to do.

You'll also be proud to know that the good researchers here in the United States are also designing masks for our athletes.

Naturally television pictures beamed around the world of mask-wearing Olympians could embarrass the Chinese government. So I have a solution for them. Have your athletes not use them to show the world how strong you are.

Although in all honesty, I have a feeling they'd wind up like American cyclist Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, who dropped out halfway through a mountain-biking test event in Beijing in September of last year. 

"I had a lot of trouble breathing... I started getting nauseous."

Only 8 of 50 competitors finished the race due to pollution problems.

Man, this is going to be one great Olympics.