As the Olympics limbers up for its second week of flag-waving fervour, Sky News Online's Alex Watts looks at the lighter side of the Beijing Games.

A is for Arrests. Pro-Tibet students seem to be getting bundled into the back of police vans faster than you can say "calm a Llama down". But in the words of one seasoned hack out here in Beijing "they'll have to go some to top the Brits who shinned up those poles."

B is for Bangers. Or are they? All Olympic bosses would say were some of the fireworks "may have been" faked.

C is for Crooked Teeth. Poor Yang Peiyi might have a perfect voice but she wasn't pretty enough to sing in person at the opening ceremony - so another girl mimed it.

D is for Déjà vu. The feeling you get when someone says: "Do you know, the number eight is lucky in China - that's why the opening ceremony was held on 8/8/2008."

E is for Eight. And then they point out that it was also held at eight minutes past eight. Apart from the fireworks, that is. And the singing.

F is for Frankie 'Fun-Time' Gavin. The British boxer was definitely not having any when he got sent home for being overweight.

G is for Gold Medals. Just how many will China get this year seems to be the talk of the town. Sixteen in Atlanta, 28 in Sydney, 32 in Athens... Probably best not to delve too deeply.

H is for Hoffa. Or perhaps scoffer. World champion Reese Hoffa has an unusual celebration. The shot-putter likes to do laps of honour munching on a giant turkey leg. Why? I can't think of any other reason other than he's American.

I is for Irritating. The understated adjective used to describe the Australian past-time of ribbing Brits about sport.

J is for Johnson. Reporters can't wait until Boris gets out here. There's already talk from some about getting T-shirts printed with 'bored of the rings' on, so there's always a chance the gaffe-prone London mayor will liven things up.

K is for Kenya. He might have run for Kenya at the 1999 World Youth Games, but Stephen Cherono now runs for Qatar for a reported £500 a month for life. He even became Saaeed Shaheen.

L is for Ludicrous. While we are on the subject, Chinese table-tennis player Lin Ju is now apparently from the Dominican Republic. And Matt Reed (USA) will compete against his brother Shane (New Zealand) in the triathlon, even though they were born in the same country.

M is for clear as Mud. But it is different for horses - the rules state they must be from the same country as their rider.

N is for Nation. Michael Phelps would be fifth if he was one. His five golds put him above Australia and Great Britain in the table.O is for Oarsome. No doubt the headline if Team GB does well in the rowing.

P is for even more Predictable. Or perhaps 'Shock 'N Oar!'

Q is for Quidditch. No, it's still not an Olympic sport despite protestations from David Miliband and other Harry Potter fans.

R is for Radcliffe. Will Paula do it or won't she? And if she doesn't, will she cry?

S is for Scared. Modern pentathlete Katy Livingston admits she was terrified when she first went near a horse. That's about as interesting as some athletes get.

T is for Tiff. Tom Daley and his dive partner Blake Aldridge had one, but apparently it's all water under the bridge now.

U is for Unfortunate. there's no Eric the Eel this year.

V is for Volleyball. Tiananmen Square was originally going to be the venue for the beach volleyball. But Games chiefs thought it might be a little inappropriate.

W is for Wang Wei. The Olympics chief spokesman's name is pronounced as in 'wrong way' without the R. There were unkind titters when he took questions about the Beijing traffic system.

X is for... There isn't one because W was so good.

Y is for Yao Ming. At 7ft 6in isn't China's basketball star a bit too tall?

Z is for Zillions. Forget those myths about athletes living on beans on toast and putting a magnet on the electricity meter. The Olympics resembles a millionaires' playground these days. Ask Kobe Bryant or Roger Federer.