Bibliogryphon 9,573 Posted March 17, 2015 Your remoteness goes against you straight away. You are staring at mid table ranking at most. Better hope your song is good because "null-point" has been achieved quite a few times. Not to mention that that very remoteness rather makes a mockery of "Euro"vision song contest, at least if not technically in Europe most have been geographically close. Not that it has ever been much more than a thinly veiled exercise in politics anyway imo. As alluded to above with the local neighbours thing. reference Looking at the attached map it seems to indicate that Libya is a member of the EBU. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
En Passant 3,741 Posted March 17, 2015 Well Israel have been in it 37 times....but Australia truly banishes the geography to the dustbin really. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bibliogryphon 9,573 Posted March 17, 2015 Well Israel have been in it 37 times....but Australia truly banishes the geography to the dustbin really. It is a one off to celebrate the 60th contest. Apparently it is popular in Australia. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
En Passant 3,741 Posted March 17, 2015 Well Israel have been in it 37 times....but Australia truly banishes the geography to the dustbin really. It is a one off to celebrate the 60th contest. Apparently it is popular in Australia. Well pass me a vegemite sandwich. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
time 8,599 Posted March 17, 2015 Same boat as Prince Phillip - too many people putting her in through age. She'll still be with us this time next year and probably a couple beyond. Thanks Eesti! Liking this entry muchly, hope it gets through to the final. Looking for someone to support as our UK Potato Waffle song should not do better than yours!Let's not forget Australia has been invited to compete at Eurovision for the first time ever this year! :party: :clap: :bow: Half the countries vote for their geographical or historical neighbours... Your remoteness goes against you straight away. You are staring at mid table ranking at most. Better hope your song is good because "null-point" has been achieved quite a few times. I think the novelty of having Australia in the competition will be in their favour. Australian's have had a good record when the have represented the UK before now Olivia Newton-John and Gina G. Guy Sebastian is Malaysian born. Just sayin'. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted March 17, 2015 Yes, it is popular here (we watch it in a very tongue-in-cheek manner, half-laughing along with it, half-laughing at it.) We are allowed to compete because SBS is part of the European Broadcasting Union. See full discussion on Australia's entry into the competition here: http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-31436259 I was hoping we might to better than come mid-rank. After all, if all the other voting factions are deadlocked, we might be seen as a nice neutral candidate for people to vote for. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ra Ra Rasputin 99 Posted March 18, 2015 Yes, it is popular here (we watch it in a very tongue-in-cheek manner, half-laughing along with it, half-laughing at it.) We are allowed to compete because SBS is part of the European Broadcasting Union. See full discussion on Australia's entry into the competition here: http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-31436259 I was hoping we might to better than come mid-rank. After all, if all the other voting factions are deadlocked, we might be seen as a nice neutral candidate for people to vote for. Australia's actually an associate member as it's outside of the European Broadcasting Area. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Magere Hein 1,400 Posted March 18, 2015 So should they win, they'd become the first Associate ESC Winners. Nice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bibliogryphon 9,573 Posted March 18, 2015 So should they win, they'd become the first Associate ESC Winners. Nice. It has been said that if they win they will be allowed to defend their title but not to host. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toast 16,137 Posted March 18, 2015 So should they win, they'd become the first Associate ESC Winners. Nice. It has been said that if they win they will be allowed to defend their title but not to host. That gives them a real incentive then! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eesti 151 Posted March 18, 2015 Eino Baskin dead at 85. One of the most famous theater managers in Estonia.**checking Baskin's name off my list of 'famous theater managers in Estonia'**SC The guy was absolute legend in Estonia. Everybody knew him. You don't need to be sarcastic because you don't know anybody outside your little island. Estonia is one of those countries I'd like to visit. I supported Ott Lepland in his 2012 bid for Eurovision, one of the loveliest ballads ever in the competition. Hope you have a good one this year! Here you go. Win a free trip to Estonia: http://quiz.mfa.ee/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
themaninblack 2,112 Posted March 18, 2015 Well Israel have been in it 37 times....but Australia truly banishes the geography to the dustbin really. Won it a few times as well (1978, 1979, 1998)... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcreptile 10,967 Posted March 26, 2015 Two important german deaths in the news today: Karl Moik, the austrian inventor of the most popular "Volksmusik"-TV show in the german-speaking countries is dead at 76: http://www.bild.de/unterhaltung/leute/karl-moik/ist-tot-40313290.bild.html(german obituary) It was the kind of show full of yodelling, alpine clothing and faint regret of losing World War II that people aged 60+ loved. Also dead: "Emmely", Germany's most famous cashier. Her multi-billion dollar supermarket chain fired her instantly after 30 years of employment because she payed herself out two unused deposit bottle coupons (do you know what I mean?) worth 1,30€. She sued the company and won and got her job back: http://www.bild.de/regional/berlin/tod/kassiererin-emmely-ist-gestorben-40304874.bild.html (german obituary) She died at 57 after a heart attack. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcreptile 10,967 Posted March 29, 2015 Czech cinematographer Miroslav Ondricek dead at 80: http://variety.com/2015/film/news/miroslav-ondricek-dead-amadeus-cinematographer-milos-forman-1201462236/ A frequent collaborator with Milos Forman, he is probably best-known for his Oscar-nominated work on "Amadeus". 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eesti 151 Posted March 29, 2015 Mayor of Tallinn Edgar Savisaar has been in a hospidal for 10 days now. He had a streptococcus pyogenes so doctors amputate his right leg above the knee. His health has been very fragile over the past 12 years and now it has got even worse. They keep him in a coma and he doesn't know the news yet. He was brought to hospidal with a phenunomia suspection. If he survives then sure hit in the next few years. Sad f*cker. (Estonians hate him). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Creep 7,070 Posted March 30, 2015 Czech cinematographer Miroslav Ondricek dead at 80: http://variety.com/2015/film/news/miroslav-ondricek-dead-amadeus-cinematographer-milos-forman-1201462236/ A frequent collaborator with Milos Forman, he is probably best-known for his Oscar-nominated work on "Amadeus". That remains basically my favorite movie of all time; he must have been the one key person NOT to win an Oscar :-( RIP SC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcreptile 10,967 Posted March 30, 2015 One of, if not, THE most acclaimed contemporary german directors, Helmut Dietl, is dead at 70: http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/kino/helmut-dietl-ist-tot-a-1026324.html(link in german) A hit for 2 DDP teams if there's a qualifying orbit. He had lung cancer but in late 2014 he said the tumour had shrunk. I saw him at an awards show and he still looked ok, though it was already suspicious that they gave him a lifetime achievement award. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CaptainChorizo 1,977 Posted April 1, 2015 Tomas Transtromer Swedish Poet who won Nobel Prize for literature is dead at 83 . Was picked by neither the Nobel Laureates or Swedish Theme Team in the DDP Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YoungWillz 21,037 Posted April 1, 2015 Carlos Gaviria Diaz, former Columbian presidential candidate and former progressive member of constitutional court, dies at 77. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-3020858/Leftist-Colombian-jurist-Gaviria-dies-77.html Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Dead Cow 620 Posted April 2, 2015 Portuguese film director Manoel de Oliveira dead at 106 http://news.yahoo.com/manoel-oliveira-portugal-director-dead-106-132154985.html Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YoungWillz 21,037 Posted April 7, 2015 Jean Germain, French politician accused of corruption, appears to have committed suicide pre-trial. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32202429 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maryportfuncity 10,646 Posted April 7, 2015 Jean Germain, French politician accused of corruption, appears to have committed suicide pre-trial. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32202429 ALL the main news sources are reporting it as suicide and Wiki has it as death by firearm, all ahead of a trial about his - alleged - profiteering from a marriage scam. Our kinda guy, then. Was anyone hereabouts prescient enough to have snagged him in a pool? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
charon 4,943 Posted April 7, 2015 Jean Germain, French politician accused of corruption, appears to have committed suicide pre-trial. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32202429 ALL the main news sources are reporting it as suicide and Wiki has it as death by firearm, all ahead of a trial about his - alleged - profiteering from a marriage scam. Our kinda guy, then. Was anyone hereabouts prescient enough to have snagged him in a pool? Barrymore doesn't post anymore as far as I know.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Creep 7,070 Posted April 23, 2015 Russian film director Bakhtyar Khudojnazarov, aged only 49. By using Scrabble scoring to add up the letters in his name, he comes up with a score greater than his age at death; 60 points. I doubt there are many other people mentioned on this forum to whom the Scrabble deficit would apply. I hope you scored that second K a zero and not a 5, as it would require the use of a blank. SC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stonecold 51 Posted April 23, 2015 Cindy Yang, 24, Taiwanese actress, suicide by helium inhalation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deaths_in_2015) I guess she went out on a high note 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
