We Love San Marino. And Ireland.
Ah well.
Firstly, Boom Bang a Blog wants to send its commiserations to Andy Abraham.
The only thing wrong with the UK entry last night - which came across really well on screen - was that it was stuck at the wrong end of the draw.
If Even If had been performed towards the end of the show, there's no doubt in our minds that Andy wouldn't have been equal last (however, the way the Eurovision placing system works, there are no shared placings, and with only two countries voting for him, we may have finished absolute bottom again. Yah boo).
But let's get on to the winners.
A plum place to perform (penultimate song in the show) and with loads of neighbours to export douzes Moscow way, a Russian win has been an inevitability in the past few years. If Believe had been the entry by, say, Poland or Cyprus, it's unlikely Eurovision would be heading to Warsaw or Nicosia next year.
One thing which could lift the UK's spirits in the months to come is that San Marino (who gave Andy Abraham six points) was the only country to use a jury. Their telecom system is linked with Italy's and it would have been a logistical nightmare - and really not worth the bother - to sort it out for the Eurovision vote.
Back-up juries are used by each country each year in case the phone lines go into meltdown. When last year's jury results were released, it showed that Germany's much-fancied song, placed 19th by televoters, finished sixth with the panel. There may be some solace for Andy still to come.
Keep reading Boom Bang a Blog for a full review of last night's Contest and news of where next year's competition is bound (that'll be sorted in the next few weeks - probably).
Hopefully, Terry Wogan and the UK will be present in Moscow/St Petersburg in 2009. His comments as the credits rolled over Dima Bilan's victory reprise did suggest otherwise...
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Jamie McLoughlin
The news editor of Southport Visiter reveals all about his musical hobby that more people should admit to having.
If this has finally decided that Wogan is going to retire, then that alone is reason to celebrate.
I liked the Russian entry which received one of my votes. For the second year in a row the Uk didn't vote for the winner - i think its us who is out of touch
Andy sang very well but it wasn't only the eastern countries which didn't vote for him - nothing from France or the Netherlands who usually support that style of music, and nothing from Malta or Israel who can usually be relied on for a vote or two.
It was a song which just wasn't memorable enough after a single listen, I think.
My faves were Denmark and Norway. The Russian entry I didn't move me at all and the ice-skater just got me all wound up. I wasn't a fan of the UK entry but it was far, far better than the Spanish entry which was awarded an alarming number of points. Particularly from it's neighbours.
My husband and I were able to pretty accurately predict who would be receiving the larger votes from a particular country by naming their neighbouring countries.
I think the four bank-rolling countries should now reduce their funding based upon the position they came in this year's competition. Let's see if that impacts the number of votes the UK receives next year when other countries have to contribute to make up the shortfall from the UK!