Meenzer

Who ever said a University education made you clever. EDIT: Hang on, Wenger's got an economics degree.

One of the good guys. Would have been interesting to see where things went if he'd stayed in charge.

*hastily cancels Roomba order*

Realised this morning that I sent my card wallet through the washing machine yesterday. Maybe the Gemmill approach isn't so bad after all.

Some of it's really not bad these days (some is utter piss, mind!), certainly does the job if you need the crutch of a beer bottle in your hand and the taste of the drink, which I still do if it's a nice sunny day or the match is on or I'm getting excited about the Eurovision voting or whatever. Old habits die hard!

Speaking of which:

There's someone behind me on this nightbus singing "Steve McClaren's black and white army", over and over but very softly, occasionally interspersed with "Dennis Wise's black and white army".

Way back in the mists of pre-Eurovision time, I went to a wedding in Edinburgh. Two Geordie ex-pats tied the knot, and so instead of a wedding cake:

I didn't

Thanks all. You're smashing.

The Marveaux comeback begins here. Be still, CT's throbbing button mushroom.

If you like the idea of doing a bit of good for a local cause, could I persuade you to vote here? http://www.sickchildrenstrust.org/Get_involved/Trusts__Foundations/VOTE_AVIVA_Community_Fund/?rand=467207662&utm_content=buffer457e4&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer You can use your Facebook info to register if you have it, so it's even easier than the instructions suggest. Every click greatly appreciated.

Is it still a prediction if it's with certainty?

It is indeed. The Spanish staging is "special" even by Eurovision standards - capes, ballroom dancing, projections, the lot. If anything, she might want to move to Manchester to escape the shame of it all.

Semi-finals tonight and Thursday on BBC Three, grand final on Saturday night as usual. Tonight's offerings include Moldovan soft porn with a police uniform fetish, disabled Finnish punks, hi-NRG disco trash from a fat Serbian girl, and holier than thou peace balladry from Russia, of all places. How can you resist?

I've only been to Copenhagen Airport, but some of the more... interesting people I know here in the Eurovision press centre were quite taken by Christiania when they were there last year (although apparently it's overly commercialised these days #hipster). Did two weeks in Malmö and didn't really find a restaurant I'd actively recommend, but if the weather's good, grab a falafel wrap from one of the million fast food places in the Möllevången neighbourhood (keywords: immigrants, integration, a place in Sweden that has a bit of actual personality) and go and sit in the Folkets Park, which is a cool mix of counterculture, bad sculpture and children's playgrounds. The "pavilion" in the middle of it is a good place for an overpriced drink (well, it is Scandinavia) and a bit of people-watching. Been to Stockholm at least ten times and haven't really found a restaurant I'd actively recommend (there's a theme developing here), but as mentioned above, the old city/Gamla Stan is great for pottering around, both by day and by night. If you're going to do one museum in Stockholm I'd make it the Vasa Museum, which is on the next island along from the old city - it's just a big boat, but my, what a big boat. Then take a wander across the nearby bridge to Kastellholmen island for some good views. Speaking of boats, if you've got time then make sure you go on a rather more modern boat trip, because Stockholm is basically built on the water and it's pretty gorgeous. There's loads of different operators who run various trips from the waterfront just around from the old city, so you can opt for a 90-minute spin around the more central areas or an entire day trip out around the entire archipelago, depending on what weather and time allow. I was in Helsinki for a week in 1994 and remember precisely nothing about the place. Oslo, well, there's the park with all the weird statues, that's a must. If you've got time and you want to get out of the city a bit, take the metro up to Holmenkollen and go have a look at the ski jump. Not that there'll be much going on there in the height of summer, but still!

My holiday will involve doing 12-hour shifts in the Eurovision press centre on Friday and Saturday. Vegas sounds decent by comparison. Even the desserts are feeling the strain and have gone all weird today

^^

Just thought I'd say hello from the Eurovision press centre. We have free crisps and cake. This could end in excellence or serious injury.

CT, for your sake I hope you *did* see me on Betfair! England, eh? Fucking hell.

I'm a tiny bit torn. Of the two options obviously I want Miliband as PM (I even voted Labour today, because what the fuck else are you going to do in Lewisham Deptford), but it would be quite funny if Balls lost his seat...

http://www.sunnation.co.uk/up-split-creek-no-clear-winner-as-polls-close/ It's a poll-off! Be interesting to see how it plays out...