Winner of the Eurovision [title edited by MNHQ to remove spoiler]

[claig]

I kick myself for not paying attention to it. Should have guessed that, could have possibly won some money at the bookies by backing it a few weeks ago.

[KimmySchmidtsSmile]

Not a useless fact, explains why the French, merci x

[claig]

'Some Austrians speak French, 10% I believe. (Useless fact)'

Really? That is fascinating, I had no idea. Is there a French speaking region of Austria and how did that come about?

' I align myself with pirates, ... , leotarded gimps'

Yes, I also vote Tory.

[KimmySchmidtsSmile]

Claig

[KimmySchmidtsSmile]

Dammit, I should have seen the semis. San Marino, the man with the hat
Serhat! Now that's Eurovision!

[TennesseeMountainPointOfView]

Is there a French speaking region of Austria and how did that come about? possibly due to the border with Switzerland?

[OvariesBeforeBrovaries]

Claig please stop saying "wonks", it sounds like a frightfully posh person talking about masturbation (or makes me sing the Wonky Donkeeeeey song from that old Ant n Dec show)

[claig]

'it sounds like a frightfully posh person talking about masturbation'

But doesn't that sum them up? It is the best word to describe that cadre of servants, that retinue of hangers-on who spin against the people.

[claig]

"Ed Miliband: I’m proud to be a wonk*

*political geek

ED Miliband declared he was proud to be a “wonk” yesterday — as he slammed the door on brother David’s return to the Labour frontbench team.

The party leader claimed it was a “compliment” to be described as “pointy-headed” and insisted he would not change.

www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/politics/4565186/Ed-Miliband-Im-proud-to-be-a-wonk.html

There you have it, straight outta Oxbridge, straight from a wonk's mouth.

[Lweji]

Russia is apparently threatening to boycott the next Eurovision in the Ukraine.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/15/eurovision-2016-furious-russia-demands-boycott-of-ukraine-over-j/

[claig]

'Russia is apparently threatening to boycott the next Eurovision in the Ukraine.'

I don't think they will because they must know that that is exactly what the wonks in the EU want which is why they pulled off the stunt. The whole point is to isolate Russia from Europe as the wonks ramp up the propaganda to prepare the European people for what may happen next.

Russia is holding the World Cup or something like that soon. The wonks will have been tasked to hit Russia with a barrel load of propaganda before that.

The wonks like to have a laugh and Russia pulling out of the Eurovision will make them crack up with laughter so Russia will have to go, but if they do go the wonks will hit them with all the propaganda they have anyway, so it is lose lose for Russia as the wonks prepare the European people for what may come.

[314inTheSkye]

There is also an Italian speaking region of Austria I think! drove through it on the way to Aosta in Italy. I think. WHy cant I remember more clearly i'm so old

[claig]

Remember how Boris only told the truth once he had been liberated and joined the people over the EU Brexit campaign

"Boris Johnson blames "EU pretensions" for Ukraine crisis

www.politicshome.com/news/europe/eu-policy-agenda/international-affairs/news/74771/boris-johnson-blames-eu-pretensions

The wonks, Eurovision etc are all part of the same game.

The legendary Bob Dylan explained it (and the wonks)years ago in his song "Masters of War" , a song that could never be a Eurovision entry

Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain.

[claig]

Lots of versions of Masters of War by Pearl Jam, Ed Sheeran etc, but after all these years still nothing can beat Bob Dylan's version.

Only Kurt Cobain may have been able to beat it in an Umplugged version, but that will never happen unfortunately.

The song is as true now as it was over 50 years ago. Classic.

[Ilmatar]

Oh Christ will you ever shut the fuck up with the brain-dead conspiracy bullshit? It's pathetic. We're talking about Eurovision for fuck's sake.

[claig]

Are you a wonk? That is how they lash out when the truth is revealed, for the truth hurts. It is no use attacking the messenger, as a wonk is wont to do. Open your eyes and yu will see what was true.

Here are the lyrics of 1944, the Ukrainian emtry, with the last verse probably referring to the EU

When strangers are coming...
They come to your house,
They kill you all
and say,
We’re not guilty
not guilty.

Where is your mind?
Humanity cries.
You think you are gods.
But everyone dies.
Don't swallow my soul.
Our souls
...
We could build a future
Where people are free
to live and love.
The happiest time.

Can you imagine if that had been the Dutch entry or the Belgian entry etc and was called 1944 and was not a reference to Russia, but was about Germany. It would never have won because the wonks would never have allowed it.

The EU is supposed to be about harmony and peace, and Eurovision is supposed to be a kitsch laugh.

We could build a future
Where people are free
to live and love.
The happiest time.

but the wonks wanted to create discord and have a laugh at Russia's expense.

Russia, which is invited into the Eurovision and competes in good faith and is then deceived by the wonks having a laugh and making a political point.

[claig]

It is almost equivalent to the UK entry being the Dad's Army theme tune in its intent to offend and create discord. But that could never happen because Germany is in the EU and is not intended to be ostracised like Russia is.

[mathanxiety]

Zhabr Beria was a Georgian too..
The entire political entity of which Ukraine and Crimea was a part was being occupied by the Nazis in 1944; I'm wondering if the song spent much time elaborating on that.

Crimea was part of Russia then and had been for a long time -- it was 'given' to Ukraine in 1954 by Nikita Khruschev, the leader of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and coincidentally a Ukrainian.

Maybe Russia could send a song about Operation Barbarossa to Eurovision next year.

I love your ideas, 314.

[claig]

Here, in the Guardian, you can see the wonks' plan in all its glory.

Remember how the wonks in the media built up the story about the Welsh flag not being allowed in the hall etc because it wasn't a UN country and then the outcry and the Eurovision reversal on that policy. The real point was probably so that the Crimean Tatar flag could be flown to stick it to the Russians without them being able to object because the Welsh and Catalonian flags could be used as arguments against their objections.

The song, 1944, didn't explain why Stalin deported the Crimean Tartars, due to what he felt was collaboration with the Nazis during WWII.

"Ukraine's Eurovision singer urges voters to show Crimea solidarity

Jamala says 1944 song is not only about the pain of Crimean Tatars’ deportation, but also about recent Russian annexation

Europeans can show they are “not indifferent to suffering” in Crimea, which has been annexed by Russia, by voting for Ukraine in the Eurovision song contest, the Ukrainian contestant has suggested.

Before what is likely to be the most politicised Eurovision in recent memory, 32-year-old jazz singer Jamala said her ballad, 1944, was not only about the deportation of the Crimean Tatar population during the second world war, but the events of the past two years in the peninsula.

Jamala, whose real name is Susana Jamaladynova and is herself a Crimean Tatar, has not been home since shortly after Russia’s 2014 annexation of the peninsula, but her parents and extended family still live there.

Russia’s entry is the bookmakers’ favourite to win the contestin Stockholm on Saturday, but many in central and eastern Europe are expected to vote tactically to put a different country at the top of the leader board.

“[If I win] it will mean that modern European people are not indifferent, and are ready to hear about the pain of other people and are ready to sympathise,” Jamala told the Guardian by phone from the Swedish capital."

www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/may/13/eurovision-2016-ukraine-singer-urges-vote-for-crimean-ballad

[mummytime]

Oxbridge takes very few students under age, and some colleges never take any. I have never heard of someone young studying PPE. Maths is the normal subject, as it doesn't the life experience of English or Philosophy.

OP you do sound incredibly bigoted and ill informed.

As a family we decided that musically Russia and Ukraine's songs were the best. Russia's was a great pop song, and would have been a Eurovision winner normally. Ukraine's gave chills and was a superb piece of music. Russia gave Ukraine 10 points, Ukraine gave Russia 12 points in the popular vote.
Now why the UK popular vote liked the Lithunian song most is a puzzle.

[Ilmatar]

Yeah, everyone who disagrees with you is a 'wonk'. Jesus.

[claig]

In The Mirror, a few days before the contest

Russia winning Eurovision 2016 would be disastrous for song contest, fears European Broadcasting Union

The organisation knows how unpopular a Russian win would be and is worried over the potential result
...
A Eurovision source told the Mirror: “The feeling is that the European Broadcasting Union know how unpopular a Russia win would be and will do everything possible to help the other favourites to victory.”
...
To add to the political tension, Ukraine singer Jamala’s song is called 1944 and tells the story of how Stalin used the Soviet Red Army to force the native Tatars out of Crimea, their homeland. The song got past the organisers even though political songs are not supposed to be allowed."

www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/russia-winning-eurovision-2016-would-7966171

[BirthdayBetty]

I thought the Ukrainian song was dire. I voted for Poland, simply because I liked the song.
Next years contest should be very interesting, I really hope the couple who delivered the Ukrainian jury results will be the hosts