The Curse Of The Beijing Olympics

They are the most superstitious people on the planet. Perhaps it's the absence of organised religion, but the Chinese are quick to link natural disasters, accidents and violence to a combination of divine intervention and heavenly anger.
Now China's online soothsayers are linking Beijing's Olympic mascots to a string of misfortunes in the run-up to the Games.
Four out of the five "fuwas" - literally friendly toys - are being tied in to the natural and human disasters visited on China during the turbulent build-up.
Jingjing - the Panda - an animal closely associated with Sichuan Province, epicentre of last month's terrible quake.
Huanhuan - the Olympic torch - the round the world torch relay was a PR disaster of awesome proportions.
Yingying - the Antelope - native to Tibet, the location of the March riots and the military crackdown.
Nini - the Kite - the kite city of Weifang is located in Shandong, scene of April's deadly train crash that killed 72 people.
Beibei - the Fish - a Chinese sturgeon found only in the Yangtze River. Is this the location for China's next major disaster, ask cyberspace doom merchants.
"The scariest part of the message is the question it raised," said website editor Chen Wei after seeing the postings.
"You never know what Beibei (the sturgeon) heralds. In other words the worst may be yet to come. I won't say I believe it, but I do feel a little worried about the unknown."
Now there is also concern about the number eight. It's supposed to be a lucky number. So much so that China's Olympic Organisers have chosen August 8, 2008 as the opening date for the Games.
But the online doom and gloomers point out that this year's snowstorm, the worst in a century, struck on 25/01 and if the numbers are added up they total eight. The same applies to the date of the Tibetan riots 14/03 and the earthquake 12/05.
The website reports: "The conclusion: counter to conventional wisdom, eight brings bad luck and untold disaster is in store for August 8, 2008. The very date chosen for the Olympic Opening Ceremony because of its supposed auspiciousness."