And now for something completely different...

Happy to report that Villaraigosa came in for me (with a whopping 59% to 41% victory - take that Economist!), netting a sweet $65 on top of the $140 stake. So what's next on the eclectic betting circuit?

Well none other than that classic of cheesy pop music, the song contest that has arguably done more for European unification than all the consecutive rounds of Treaty negotiation. That's right. Eurovision.

5 years ago, while an undergraduate on exchange in Scotland, I got my first taste of the Eurovision Song Contest. Verdict? An absolute riot, and the perfect atmosphere for a Saturday night party overseas. To this day, I can still remember that incessant refrain of Denmark's winning entry by the - get this - Olsen Brothers: "Fly on the Wings of Love". Check out the list of this year's participants here. The widest assortment of entries possible, from absolutely stunning Eastern European women to the hip hop Ukrainian group "Greenjolly" whose song lyrics about the Orange revolution needed slight censorship.

The question is: who to bet on in 2005? [check out the full listing under the "Entertainment" section] Greece seems the clear favorite at 3.50 to 1, but something like this calls for a truly random choice, like those Ukrainians at 51 to 1. Happy to entertain any suggestions. This Saturday is the big night, so expect an update on my final selection before then. And may the most hilarious performance triumph!