Today is the big day all us Europeans have been waiting for...this day determines the political relationships our newly enlarged Europe will enjoy for the next 12 months. Hmm...you are all wondering...could it be a political summit on the military tatics we might use for troubles in the middle east? no. A European trade fair? Nope..wrong again.
Yes, today everyone is the European Song Contest (this year in Istanbul). Now, perhaps i take for granted that everyone knows what this is, but for my non European readers i will explain.
Every year we hold a contest where 24 coutries present an original song no longer than 3 minutes long in a televised contest. Its then put to the vote and the winning country gets to host the next years contest..oh and a trophy i guess :)
The contest is so kitsch...you know...so bad its funny and unmissable. The songs are terrible mostly, the singers worse and the stage outfits..sometimes plain brave!!! One year a transvestite won it!!
But, the best bit is not deciding which song is best, but who will get the most votes according to its political friends/bordering countries. Now, the votes are made by the public in each country, however...for example...Greece always give Cyprus 12 points (the maximum) and Cyprus always give Greece 12 points. The scandanavian countries always give each other maximum points...and so you see a pattern emerging?!!
So last year was interesting...last year was when the Iraq 'situation' started. The UK being the US's biggest political friends didn't help us out much....we actually got no points at all...not one of the 23 other countries gave us any points!!!!
Of course it could be that the song was terrible and off key....
I haven't even heard this years entry - but i figure its irrevalent anyway!!!
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