{image-olympic condoms_30072008.jpg news.oneindia.in}Beijing, Jul 30: A Chinese condom-maker called Elasun has devised a very clever set of ads featuring condoms and the sport stickmen that's doing a roaring viral business on the Chinese internet.
Speaking of prophylactics, Reuters reports that the phrase 'avoiding pregnancy' has become a euphemistic way of saying that you're going to avoid the Olympics. In Chinese, "bi-yun", means contraception. "Ao-yun" means the Olympics. So bi-yun in the context of the Games is a sort of double entendre meaning avoiding the Games. I remember in Sydney how scores of people left the city over the Games period rather than put up with the perceived inconvenience.
As it turned out, however, Sydney has probably never functioned more smoothly. Public transport worked, the roads were empty and it was a great atmosphere. But with all over zealous security measures in place, it's probably a good time for the locals to take a short break a long way away from Beijing.