EDU Ill-Fated Predictions

So, we've got all 43 songs selected. We know 38 of them have to qualify to be in the Grand Final - and we wait with breathless anticipation to see whether the EBU has found a way around bloc voting in the semis.

Semi Final #1 is certainly the strongest of the finals and there are a few nations who will consider themselves unlucky not to qualify: including former winners Israel, Estonia, Greece and Finland. Semi Final #2 is much more of a dog - and seems to be the only semi we're likely to see in Australia in SBS. Webcasts, here we come.

Based on the quality of the song (!) and the number of 'like' nations in the semi-finals, the Editors make their first tentative prediction (certain to be completely wrong).

From Semi Final #1, EDU reckons the following six will definitely qualify:
Andorra / Armenia / Ireland / Netherlands / Norway / Slovenia
Taste suggests the final three to qualify will be Belgium / Moldova / Greece (but our neighbourhood watch methods suggests they will miss out and the following will sneak in: Bosnia and Herzegovina / Poland / Russia)

From Semi Final #2, EDU reckons the following eight will definitely qualify:
Belarus / Bulgaria / Denmark / Georgia / Hungary / Iceland / Sweden / Turkey
Taste suggests the final two to qualify will be Croatia / Switzerland (but our neighbourhood watch methods suggests they will miss out and the following will sneak in: FYR Macedonia / Ukraine)

And so, EDU awards its points for Eurovision 2008, thus:

1 point Charlotte Perrelli - (Sweden) Hero
2 points Maria Haukaas Storeng - (Norway) Hold On Be Strong
3 points Hind - (Netherlands) Your Heart Belongs To Me
4 points Sirusho - (Armenia) Qele Qele
5 points Csézy - (Hungary) Szívverés
6 points Sebastien Tellier - (France) Divine
7 points Paolo Meneguzzi - (Switzerland) Era Stupendo *
As we're not totally sure Paolo is going to qualify, we reserve the right to give 1 point to Rebeka Dremelj - (Slovenia) Vrag naj vzame - and add a point to Charlotte through Sebastien.

8 points Mor Ve ötesi - (Turkey) Deli
10 points Dustin the Turkey - (Ireland) Irelande Douze Points
and the EDU tip for 2008 winner is:
12 points Eurobandid - (Iceland) This Is My Life