World Cup

They (perhaps unsurprisingly) don't have Slovenia as a team option....

Eurovision 2010 Semi-Final 2: part two

8 Ukraine
"Sweet People" - Alyosha

You do wonder about the quality control measures in place when you watch this OFFICIALLY RELEASED promo for the Ukraine. The first 30 seconds nip in and out of tune and the camera focus is mental. I can't even remember if I like this or not. I know it doesn't make any sense.

9 Netherlands
"Ik ben verliefd (Sha-la-lie)" - Sieneke (I'm in love)

A slightly mental circus opening distracts from what is a sort of catchy song but this is unlikely to turn the tides against the Netherlands bad luck/choices over the past few years.

10 Romania
"Playing with Fire" - Paula Seling & Ovi

I really like the hook in this song, but there's bits that are awful and I'm not sure how I feel at the end. The video's the same: the dual piano is pretty cool, but the whole video game aspect is just desperately lacking in focus. And as usual with these Eastern European duos, they pair up a hot girl singer with some lardy bloke. "A" for effort but not for the finished product.

11 Slovenia
"Narodnozabavni rock" - Ansambel Žlindari & Kalamari (Native Folk Rock)

The damned accordions are back and they're still not welcome. This is just an embarrassment from my adopted home country. A simple "No" suffices here. Oh dear.

12 Ireland
"It's for you" - Niamh Kavanagh

This is actually quite pleasant and reminiscint of the type of entries that Ireland used to win with back in the 90s. Trouble is, that was 20 years ago. Nevertheless the start is right out an X-Factor winner's song, which might be a good thing. And we haven't even got to the tin whistle, making a welcome return.

13 Bulgaria
"Angel si ti" - Miro (You're an angel)

This is one of my favourites, assuming he sings well which you can never judge from the video. Love the "oh-woh-woh bits", and actually the Bulgarian I don't understand but he makes me want to... there goes another Eurovision crush.

14 Cyprus
"Life Looks Better in Spring" - Jon Lillygreen and the Islanders

It may well be true but I'm not feeling this song. Boring. Boring. Yawn.

15 Croatia
"Lako je sve" - Feminem (Everything is easy)

Feminem represented Bosnia-Herzegovina a few years back with a decididly camp number so I was surprised to see this. Pleasantly surprised, I'm a sucker for Balkan angst and moody black and white videos.

16 Georgia
"Shine" - Sopho Nizharadze

A quite nice ballad really from a quite nice singer. And I like the cleaning element of the chorus "Wipe the dust off your love". You'd never get a native English person coming up with genius lyrics like that. I'm not even sure if I'm still being sarcastic.

17 Turkey
"We Could Be The Same"- maNga

These fellas are described as "the Turkish MUSE", which is not a bad comparison. However, whilst the chorus of this song is quite good and catchy; the verses are dull fillers, unlike Muse. The video is pretty cool though.

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So there we are, that's all the semi-final songs in round 2. The only five we haven't looked at are France, Germany, Spain, Norway & the UK, as they all automatically qualify for the Final. I'll get round to them though, don't worry.

So who should go through from the second semi final?

My favourites here are the ever-catchy Azerbaijan ("Drip drop drip drop"), which is tipped to win with odds of 2-1 or less. Bulgaria is a close second. Lithuania, Croatia, Georgia, Armenia and Denmark also probably deserve to go through. And as much as it pains me, Slovenia, is the least deserving country.

Semi-Final Two: Part One

So after the first 17 songs that were more miss than hit in the first semi-final, we hopefully move onto a better set in Semi Final Two (broadcast 2000 CET 27/05/2010 onBBC3)

1 Lithuania
"East European Funk" - InCulto

This is a cool and sometimes corny ska-influenced number to start the show, and it's a crowd pleaser... well at least the crowds of people in Lithuanian supermarkets judging from the video. There's a few references to us "all being in the EU" etc which nicely topicalise what is actually a pretty good 3 minutes.

2 Armenia
"Apricot Stone" - Eve Rivas

I've listened to this a few times now and whilst I kind of like it, I still don't really understand what it's about... apricot stones from the motherland? But she sings it like it means everything, so perhaps something got lost in the translation. Then again, she does bang on about the winds affecting the harvest and her "cherished fruit" - is the apricot an Armenian equivalent of cherry I wonder...?

3 Israel
"Milim" - Harel Skaat ("Words")

I think I make this comment every year, but Hebrew is not a beautiful sounding language. Although Harel is sufficiently distracting to look at that perhaps it doesn't matter.

4 Denmark
"A moment like this" - Chanée and N'evergreen

This brilliantly-named duo are like the elder siblings of Same Difference, with more hairspray and guitars. There's nothing else sounding like this in the Contest this year, and it's pretty catchy, so who knows? But the song never gets away with the fact it is perfect for an X Factor winner. It's good, but it's not right.

5 Switzerland
"Il Pleut de L'Or" Michael von der Heide ("It's raining gold")

It's hard to not play the cheap shot and comment on the irony that a man with such prominent ears didn't listen to his own song. Oops. Seriously though, this is all a bit embarrassing, like watching your gay dad do karaoke - you have to watch but feel uncomfortable throughout.

6 Sweden
"This is my life" - Anna Bergendahl

You can usually rely on Sweden to provide a catchy pop tune with some kind of dance routine, so you spend the 3 minutes of this track waiting for sequinned dancers, or a back beat to emerge on this, but it never happens. Once you've got over that, it's an okay guitar ballad, akin to Delta Goodrem I suppose, but not really stand out. I guess I'm just used to better things from Sweden. Disappointing.

7 Azerbaijan
"Drip Drop" - Safura

And so onto the favourite. And it's easy to see why. Forget the snide "it's not even in Europe", we're going to Baku next year if Safura pulls this off. It's a great, contemporary bittersweet ballad, with minimal translation issues and relatively gimmick-free. Altogether now... "Drip drop drip drop, wa-oh wa-oh...". Lovely.

Eurovision 2010 Semi-Final One: part three

Well here's the final seven songs from the first semi-final, and I have to say, so far it's going to be tough to pick the ten best... and not in a good way.

11 Malta "My Dream" - Thea Garrett

This is quite a passable ballad actually, and she's a good singer, which always makes things easier. You kind of pick up the words too, so end up singing along with the second chorus. I'm not certain it will be a stand-out moment though.

12 Albania "It's All About You" - Julia Pasha

Juliana is perhaps Albania's answer to Lady Gaga. She's got a sofa handging from the trees, a bed in the lake and a very stoic military boyfriend. She release what at first seems to be a rat but turn out to be a bird from her butterfly tattooed hand at one point.
The song is pretty catchy too, and it should stand out, being that it follows a ballad and precedes the utter dross that is about to follow.

13 Greece "OPA" - Giorgios Alkaios & Friends

This is such a disaster I don't even know where to begin. Greece have currently managed to avoid relegation from the Final for the last 6 odd years by sending great artists with great pop songs. And so this year, the follow-up is... their grandad. In leather. WELL DONE EVERYBODY

14 Portugal "Há dias assim" - Filipa Azevedo (It's One of Those Days)

Well it's okay I suppose. It doesn't really help that she looks like she might be in the cast of Portugal's "Shameless", or all the "szh" noises you get in Portugese. It's not Portugal's year. Again.

15 FYR Macedonia "Jas ja imam silata" - Gjoko Taneski, Billy Zver and Pejcin (I have the strength)

They do actually look like a pub band. Which doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing. And it might have just avoided that fate, were it not the Macedonian rap uneasily cajoled into the middle section. Dad-rock +poor-man's Timbaland is a bit like a Marmite and Sprout cake. You'll either hate it... or not even want to try it.

16 Belarus "Butterflies" - 3+2

I've gotten used to utter dross coming out of this dictatorship that I didn't even bother to listen to this the first time, and what a mistake. It's brilliant, a really good ballad, and it somehow stays just the right side of cheesy for the majority. Well worth a listen.

17 Iceland "Je ne sais quoi" - Hera Björk

Thank god, an ubergay hands-up-in-the-air number to round of the first semi-final. It's even sung by a diva in black velvet frills. Dry ice - check. Key change - check. Wind machine - check. It's got it all. 'nuff said.

Okay, so we're (actually only just halfway) through. But the first semi-final coountries are done. Who are my favourites?

Iceland clearly comes top, followed by Belarus. Honourable mentions for Estonia, Moldova, Belgium and Albania.

Semi-Final Two & Big Four reviews soon.

Eurovision 2010: Semi Final One (part deux)

[By the way, if you're reading these Eurovish-blogs on Facebook, you probably aren't getting the joy of the actual YouTube videos, so do click on the "original post" link at the bottom, or go direct to www.seb-pillon.blogspot.com]

5 Finland
"Työlki ellää" - Kuunkuiskaajat (One can work for a living, too)

Oh dear god, it's the Finnish Mitchell sisters with some folk durge. Do feel free to clap along. If you like accordions, Melinda Messenger lookalikes and false camraderie between your lead singers, this is your winner. For any/everyone else, it's a no from me.

6 Latvia
"What for? (Only Mr God knows why)" - Aisha

Her Uncle Joe can't speak and she can't... well make a song to be honest. This is a bit weird. The actual title doesn't make sense which just shows how easy it must be to become a translator. Notice too the accordion in the background, it must be the instrument of choice in 2010.
One listen is enough, just for the lyric "Only Mr God Knows Why". Brilliant.

7 Serbia
"Ovo je Balkan" - Milan Stanković (This is The Balkans)

If you can resist the urge to mute after 5 seconds... you'll simply continue to have that urge for 3 minutes. The video is worth a watch though just to marvel at the chap's hair. But other than that it's trumpets, wailing and embroidered waistcoats throughout.

8 Bosnia-Herzegovina
"Thunder & Lightning" - Vukašin Brajić

I'll admit that it's hard for me to put aside my bias to love anything BiH churns out. But accent issues aside, I quite like this rock ballad, though I'll have no time for indulgent pre-recorded guitar solos in a live song contest.

9 Poland
"Legenda" - Marcin Mroziński (The Legend)

This is heavy going from the outset, but it kind of grows on you for a bit... and then the chorus kicks in and you regret saying that. I dread to think how the wailing vocal will sound live. But he's not a bad looker, truth be told.

10 Belgium
"Me and My Guitar" - Tom Dice

This is a sweet little surprise, and will stand out on the night, but it's probably not winning material. It's a nice guitar ballad and no gimmickry distracting from it. Unless you count the cardigan.

Wow, that was a trial huh? Tuesday 25th May is gonna drag huh?! Let's hope the back seven songs pick up a bit, or the final is gonna consist of accordion wielding wailers.

Eurovision 2010: Semi Final One

The Eurovision season is upon us (well me, at least).

So now that all the countries have picked a song and are ferverently rehearsing and touring Europe in order to gain favour, I'm going to start working through the preview videos to see where I can have my toilet breaks come the actual night(s) of the contest.

The semi-final system is still running, which means freaks like me get 3 nights of pure Europop gold to sit through/enjoy/wish would just end.

The first semi-final gives us a clue as to the tone of the contest this year. The tradition is for everyone to try and copy the previous year's winner, and then usually the country that doesn't do that wins.

So the past few years have been inundated with violins, and an alarming trend towards folk music. Brilliant, I do love a Moldovan goat-herding chant mixed with Turkish base beats.

So over the next few weeks, you'll get to see what I think of the best* of European talent, starting with the first semi-final, which will see 10 acts make it to the final to join France, Germany, Spain, the UK and Norway. If you care why this is, take a look at Wikipedia.
So we don't get to vote in this semi-final, but who do I want to see through to the final?

1 Moldova
"Run Away" - SunStroke Project & Olia Tira

Liking the use of violins (but a year too late mate). Far better is the saxophone and the overuse of pink glitter and Helsinki Blonde hair dye in this actually not-so-bad number from the bizarrely named SunStroke Project.

2 Russia
"Lost & Forgotten" - Peter Nalitch & Friends

Oh dear, starting the song wailing away is never going to endear anyone now is it? Not that this improves. It's like a Channel Five reality show where a load of workmen get together to make a song in 3 days with hilarious consequences. And the facial expressions made by the lead singer seem to suggest he doesn't quite understand the lyrics he's singing. It's all worth it for the high notes near the end though. Not.

3 Estonia
"Siren" - Malcolm Lincoln and Manpower 4

Wow this is bleak. Not that I don't like it, indeed quite the opposite, I think it's quite cool, in a final-year arts student way. Even the video is like some concept piece. I think it's actually quite good. Not sure how this will translate to stage though... I can see it being phenomenal, but then again, I can see it looking like a main wailing for 3 minutes.

4 Slovakia
"Horehronie" - Kristina

Hmm. It's not so bad this in fact, but it never seems to go anywhere. The dancer blokes look utterly ridiculous in their green plastic leaf costumes playing with giant elastic bands but at least it's more interesting than the folk waistcoats at the end of the video.
The song is apparently an ode to the Horehronie tourism region, how exciting.
It's all nice but a bit dull. Which means it might do quite well. But I'm bored already.

There's 13 songs to go (and that's just the first semi-final) so expect more blogs...

Chica Bomb

My brother re-edited this video for UK release recently.

You won't recognise the artist as Moldovan popstar Dan Balan (although being the europop freak I am, I did) from O-Zone.

You know... this one...



Ah yes.

But take a look again at Olly's video. I especially like the writhing at 1:19 and 1:29.

Any jobs going at FHM/Nuts/Zoo...?!

Kick Ass

Olly and I went to see Kick Ass the other night, courtesy of Orange Wednesday. I actually think I take the mickey out of the AMC a little... I also get a 999 discount so the whole night ends up costing about £5 for two. Brilliant.

ANYway...

I wasn't sure what to think before it started. I'd seen some actor interviews, but no trailers.

The film is actually pretty good, all about a superhero wannabe geek, dressed in a catalogue wetsuit ("Kick Ass"). He starts out pretty lame really, getting all his bones shattered trying to do good. But you kind of know that in the end he'll prove that you don't need super-powers to do good. Just a $300, 000 jet-pack (which seems pretty cheap for what it is huh?!)

My favourite characters were Hit Girl and Big Daddy, who have an unhealthy interest in weaponry. Nic Cage is brilliant as Big Daddy, and I usually can't stand him.
The action scenes were great - both funny and with no over-the-top gushing blood stuff, which I find irritating. Watching a 9 year old girl take down a whole gang in one go is just brilliant to watch.

The teen angst part is kinda old hat, but doesn't chug up the plot so much, so I'll let it go. And of course he gets the girl in the end... just like a real superhero.

I'll give it 8/10.

A&E

I dreaded A&E. The thought of working there made me a nervous wreck for the last part of summer. How on Earth was I going to be able to work in such a busy environment? Having to face loads of conditions I had maybe only read about before... some years ago. Maybe.

It was with massive trepidation that I started at 4pm on that first day.

And it wasn't that bad. I remember my first patient, an old lady with a urinary tract infection. Not even very ill. But I'll never forget the wry smile of the staff grade as I double-checked she would be safe to go home.... "What's the worst that could happen?" he said, causing me to stutter out a list of reasons why I might be responsible for her imminent death. He, of course, stopped me with a hand on my shoulder... "...she'll be fine. Now, next patient!"
By the end of that shift at midnight, I'd surprised myself with what I knew.

On my second day I was assigned to Children's A&E. Terrified, I wandered over, expecting a rush of clapped out kids. Instead, I spent the afternoon looking at coughs and colds, banged heads and bruised knees. Until about 8pm, when a 9 year old autistic kid came in, his hand bloody following his exploration of a moving lawnmower blade.

Remarkably, he wasn't too upset, and with some help from a patient nurse, I sutured my first hand. It went as well as could be expected for a kid who kept giggling (from the Entonox) and wriggling so he could see what I was doing better!

And so time went on. I think it was 6 weeks in when I first saw a small fracture that I wasn't already looking for from clear physical signs. I stunned myself - I never thought I'd actually be able to interpret an X-ray! On a future X-ray, I later found out that a small scaphoid fracture I'd suspected was actually there but which the consultant didn't feel was evident was confirmed by radiological reporting. Brilliant.

Of course, there were plenty of times the consultants questioned what I had done, which at first was intimidating, but I soon learned to value. I'd never had such great teaching or felt like I had learnt so much before.

As the weeks went on, my fear of the resuscitation room turned to a morbid pleasure - I loved the acute assessment of patients, and was really proud of the first standby arrest call that I led. It was a horrible situation, a young patient with sudden death, that was terribly upsetting, but I really felt I'd done all I could, and tried to help the family in that initial few hours.

About 3 months into the job, I had to consider what to apply for in terms of specialist training. having been a gung-ho psychiatrist-wannabe for 3 years, I was now wracked with confusion. I LOVED coming to work in A&E... should I think about a career in it?
The feeling lasted about two weeks... many advised that the initial excitement would soon boil down to boredom after a few years. And I didn't see myself as an "multiple RTA" or open-thoracotomy type-of-person as a 45 year old.
But after a frank chat with one of the best consultants, I realised I really did enjoy the acute medical patients, the COPDs, the asthmatics and heart attacks.
And so I applied for core medical training, something which still surprise both me and my friends.

If I was born 5 years ago, the medical training system would have meant I could have done a year or so of A&E jobs, and I kind of wish for that system. I don't feel like I've done enough yet, and would love to head back to do some more training there.

And where else do doctors get their goriest, funniest, scariest and most tragic stories from?

So if you ever want to hear about what that man had lodged up his ass, the time I made a mother vomit over her child, dropped my stethoscope on a ripe tampon, or why I almost made the Bolton News, buy me a pint.

If noble moments is what you're after, perhaps I could tell the story of the wife of the patient I cared for over 5 hours as he died in A&E, supporting him unwaveringly until the moment he relaxed? Or the time our patient was found to have a previously unknown lung tumour invading his aorta, leading to him arriving coughing up his entire blood volume? The man beaten in the face whilst protecting his wife. The lovely old man with a clearly visible skull fracture.

Of course, there's the moans. The hundred of coughs and colds I sore. The patient's who'd sprained their ankles but "didn't belive in painkillers". The four-hour breach (incidentally I set a record with a patient leaving the department with 20 seconds to go - something I shouldn't be but am very proud of!). The surgeons. The orthopods. The bloomin' CRISIS team.

And let's never forget the scores of flirtatious old ladies. I've still got it (as did Pete and Adam).

To every patient that had to wait, for whatever reason, I'm sorry. We all worked as hard as possible. It's just unlucky that everyone seems to get ill at the same time. And I know you can never get a GP appointment when you want to. But many of you seemed to agree that Bolton's A&E was fantastic. Cos it bloody well is.

Maybe I couldn't hack working there for the rest of my life. But I'll be damned if I don't defend those that do for the rest of my working life. If it wasn't for the A&E staff, every other health worker's life would be far more miserable.

Coming up

I realise I hadn't really blogged much for a while - just photos and stuff and I quite liked the blogs I did for each of my Foundation training posts in Bolton.

I also hear there's an Election on the horizon.

And then there's Eurovision. Ah yes, the video blogs are on the way back.

So I'm going to play catch up a bit and write a fair amount I think over the next few days/weeks.

Just FYI.