The MP2 player threw up the Eurovision 2003 Contenders file today. These eight songs went out on Radio 2 with Mr Wogan and Mr Bruce at the end of January, and one of them will ride into battle for the UK in Riga in May.

Do Anything For Your Love, performed by Phoenix, is rather insipid and throwaway. Don't think it'll be up to much.

Ever Since That Night, performed by Mimi, is quite clearly a Simon May song. Not that that's a bad thing, it's the sort of song that'll bring to mind lazy days on Greek beaches. Won't win, but it'll pick up some votes.

First Night, performed by SK. There's a clear reggae influence, reminds me of Ace of Base. This is not a bad thing, either. Could be a dark horse outsider.

Wait For the Moment, performed (for now) by Esther Hart. One way or another, Ms Hart is going to Eurovision, she's already competing in the Dutch final. This could be the song to win it for her, a Dina Caroll or Celine Dion on a good day ballad. A top ten place looks assured.

Cry Baby, performed by Trisity. This is only in to make up the numbers, right? Neither of the vocalists can sing, the backing track is all thumpettythump, and if we send this, it'll be Another Record Low.

Help Me, performed by Emily Reed. It's a good ballad, a bit like Kelly Clarkson's "A Moment Like This" in parts, but it's not Wait For The Moment. We'll be lucky to better half way with this.

Smile, performed by Gallico. This could go the way of "Sameach" or Premier Minister, or it could be as madcap and entertaining as your typical German entry. Another good dark horse, and one that would show the UK is competing seriously.

Rainy Day in Summer, performed by Ben Plus One. The problem this year is that five of the songs sound pretty much interchangeable. Only the two ballads, and perhaps the cod-reggae of First Night, stand out from the mush.

These developments in the Occupied US:

Ross Perot, scourge of President Bush in 1992, is set to make a comeback. Mr Perot, worth about six small African countries, is reportedly hacked off with the irresponsible handling of the economy since 2000's coup, and particularly annoyed with the voodoo economics behind the programme of tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy.

George Soros, the man who did more than anyone to bring down the UK Conservative administration, is backing a collective of labour, environmental and women's organisations. They plan to spend USD 75 million (EUR 67 million) to mobilize voters.

"They're not ready for democracy, they won't be able to handle it," claims one member of the occupying force in Iraq. He's talking about the Iraqis, not the United Stations.

A bit late: the July stats finally get up.

A car bomb explodes outside the Jordanian embassy in Baghdad. Last week, Jordan gave sanctuary to two of President Sadaam's daughters, after they were turned away by the British tabloid press and tabloid government. The US occupants' usual claim - that all actions against them are the work of extremists linked to the Sadaam regime - rings more than a bit hollow in this case. Especially when we find that a note threatening the embassy was thrown at its security station earlier in the week. And that the occupiers haven't released it, something they do at every possible moment if it'll in any way besmirch President Sadaam. Could this be the work of US-backed opponent of President Sadaam, Ahmed Chalabi, who is wanted in Jordan over a money-laundering scam.

Counterpoint wonders...

Interestingly, the best analogy to the "Saddam loyalists," in Iraq are the Irish Republican Army because of the way they are targeting the "occupation" forces, and "collaborators." Could Iraq go the way of Northern Ireland, with adversarial paramilitary/terrorist organizations targeting each other? And, like the Protestant paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland, do the anti Saddam paramilitaries in Iraq have the tacit backing (and sub rosa cooperation) of the "occupying" forces?

You couldn't make it up ... John Leslie claims that he met CZETAJ at a Chesney Hawkes concert, which he describes as "a great show." Strange definition of great...

A grudging apology to Dr Kelly's family, after a Downing Street press spokey compares him to the fictional character Walter Mitty. In James Thurber's short story, Mitty imagines himself to be a series of heroes while actually going about a mundane life. That's actually rather unfair to Dr Kelly, who did some world-class work in his field. Unlike the PM's spokey, whose contrition was dragged out of him, and not before Downing Street had issued the usual denial that anyone had said anything out of order.

Today's Obs reports how "faith"-based programmes are crossing the Atlantic, and we're not talking about Buffy reruns. Soon to be former prime minister Mister Tony Blair has set up a working group to allow narrowly religious groups to inject their nebulosity across Whitehall. The group - the Faith Community Liaison Group - includes representatives from the arch-conservative Evangelical Alliance, and will promote discrimination by religion across the country. As a sop to tokenism, it includes representatives of Jewish, Islamic, Hindu, and Sikh sects.

According to the Obs, "Some No 10 officials are concerned that the Government will fall victim to unfavourable comparisons with the Republican administration in America, where Mr Bush makes no secret of his religious faith and right-wing religious organisations have a powerful input into policy-making, particularly on sensitive issues such as abortion." You don't say.

Non-religious groups have attacked the plans, saying they gave a special platform to religious groups denied to others. The National Secular Society, which includes in its membership a number of Labour MPs, said: "We feel this is a further example of the Government's desire to favour and privilege religious organisations, and wonder when the opinions and needs of those who are non-religious will be similarly regarded. The non-religious feel alienated and excluded from the political processes that help shape our society."

God declined to comment on this matter, but her press office pointed out that "Thou Shalt Not Take My Name In Vain" remains #1 on the Christian Top Ten, beating off strong challenges from "Thou Shalt Not Kill," "Thou Shalt Not Pray To Fatted Calves," and the new single by Evanescence.