Cheryl Cole - is the nation losing its sweetheart?

Blogging about the X-Factor is not something that I enjoy doing too much - after all, anyone who is anyone seems to have a blog on the subject these days and the public are at risk of being X-Factored to death this year! I've done quite well. I've only blogged about it once (now twice) when I championed Wagner and do not consider it a secret that I am a fan of his. In fact, I was all set to write a moany old blog post about his departure on Saturday after he was left in the bottom three, only for the unthinkable to happen and him to be passed through to the next round.

However, what annoyed me more than if Wagner had have lost the public vote was the way that Cheryl confronted him on national television about a comment he made about her in the press. Why? Because there really was no need!

Do we remember Cheryl Cole? Apparently, she's the nation's sweetheart. Plucked from Girls Aloud to marry Chelsea footballer Ashley Cole, the country quickly fell in love with the Geordie lass. Why? You tell me? I never really quite got her. Is it because she likes to speak her mind? No, I've never really seen her do much on The X-Factor except agree with Simon Cowell as she looks to keep her job. Is it because she is a talented singer? A matter of opinion but, erm.....no. So why is it? More than likely, its because she married an England footballer and became the English-residing version of Victoria Beckham.

Regardless, all of a sudden everyone loved Cheryl Cole and she happily played up to the admiration, glancing sweet smiles towards every member of the press she happened to spot whilst out and about. Until Saturday, that is, when she thought it appropriate to blast Wagner live on air for a newspaper comment she read allegedly quoting her as a 'council estate girl who got lucky.'

Cheryl Cole: Pulling her 'happy' face again

In actual fact, Wagner's quote was heralding the dramatic rise to fame of a council estate girl who got a lucky break with her talent. He was actually praising the judge but because she feels his place in the competition is questionable, she felt it necessary to confront him during a live show.

Anyone who thought Cheryl was a sweetheart will have quickly changed their opinion of her, upon seeing Wagner's surprised face as she confronted him. Not only is it hugely unprofessional to air the private lives of a contestant on a show that is allegedly about singing talent, but for the woman who has been misquoted in the press over a hundred times, it is downright hypocritical.

Would I expect my boss to criticise something I said about him in passing in front of my editorial team? No, I'd expect him to take the matter behind closed doors to discuss amicably!

Of course, the press has also said it's fair share about Cheryl's contestant Cher Lloyd but would Cheryl ask her about her alleged sexploits in the house on live television? No. Would she ask her about allegedly womanising young boys live on air? No. For Cher is not Wagner.

Assuming that the X-Factor is indeed based on public votes then there is no shortage of Wagner fans out there - how else would he have eclipsed Paije and Aiden in the competition? Why is he so liked? Because he is great fun! OK, he's not the best singer (unless he is singing opera) and his rendition of The Beatles' 'Hey Jude' was shocking but at the same time it was hilarious and more importantly, great fun! And that is just what you need in a competition that is being taken far too seriously. 

Wagner: He's not here to be taken seriously 

Have you actually looked at Cheryl's face whenever another judge dare criticise one of her acts? She looks as though she has just been dealt a personal blow to the face. If she is to continue as a judge on the show then surely she needs to be able to handle criticism. Furthermore, did you see her face when it was revealed Cher was in the sing-off? She looked as though someone had taken her own daughter off her. The worst thing is, Cheryl and her acts truly do believe they are a family and that is why they have become so painful and dull to watch. The X-Factor is meant to be an entertainment programme - not a reflection on the fortunes of Cheryl Cole and she needs to understand that a vote against one of her acts is not a vote against her.

Upon confronting Wagner on the live show, she then proceeded to argue with the members of the public that phoned in the Xtra-Factor, questioning the professionalism of her actions - yes - Cheryl Cole ranted and argued with the very public that helped put her on a pedestal so many years ago! The very people that made her as famous as she now is! The very people, whose following actually helped get her a place on the judge's stool for The X-Factor in the first place. And then, she spat on them all, in favour of a bitchy tirade at someone who is only there to give the public something to smile about on an otherwise lacklustre Saturday night.

I'm not looking to vilify Cheryl Cole. She has done that to herself. I merely want to point out how dull the programme is becoming and furthermore, how dull it would be should Wagner be voted out. He and Louis Walsh are the only two in the entire programme who are not taking it too seriously. Judging by everyone else's reactions, anyone would have thought that the exiting contestant was put to a firing squad after each show......

That would certainly make it more interesting...................................................

Virus provides a Thinkpoint for all non-technicians

"Treat your computer password like your toothbrush. Don't let anybody else use it, and get a new one every six months." ~ Clifford Stoll

It's good advice. Nothing is more important than computer security - I learned the hard way.....

It's the weekend so I take the journey with the Mrs. from Coventry to Birmingham to drop in on the parents. A quick hello, friendly chat, drink, a bit of dinner will suit us both and enable us to unwind after busy weeks. That's the plan but as soon as the Mother answers the door, the plan disappears in a puff of smoke.

No friendly 'hello,' no 'good morning welcome', but instead the panicky voice of a woman who thinks her life might well be over. And why? "John, the computer's got a horrible thing on it that won't go away!"
No, a spider had not crawled on it, instead it had caught some sort of rogue anti-virus software, known as Thinkpoint. 'Oh dear' I thought, but that, apparently, wasn't enough!

Now I am by no means a technician. I'm a journalist and although I have picked up web practices working in online media over the years, when faced with a computer virus my first thought is 'how much does a new computer cost?'

Thinkpoint - I think the point is to
cause you hours of suffering

Unfortunately for me, the family computer back when I lived with the folks was also known as the John computer - I was by and large the only person that really used it and since I moved out, the little brother's started college and needs it frequently. Cue me then, by no means qualified to play around with a computer virus but the most computer-literate person in the family - yes, I got lured into having a look!

My next thought was let's destroy my friend's weekend. Irfan Yasin is the web developer I used to work with in Birmingham - a highly knowledgeable and thoroughally useful chap when it comes to all things computers. I gave him a call and he confirmed that Thinkpoint is a virus. Did he know how to fix it? Are computers here to make our lives easy? No, so I was on my own. A 'Google' search and I found a step-by-step guide to removing Thinkpoint and with help from a bloke known simply as 'Alex' via the magic of Twitter, I managed to bypass the virus and reclaim the desktop by manually launching Explorer. May I add at this point that I had no idea at all what I was doing and managed to bluff my way through a simple tutorial over a number of agonisingly long, painful hours.

I got the desktop back but the virus was still there. Instead of blocking me from accessing the computer, it was scanning the Internet settings doubtlessly searching for credit card numbers to pilfer away! I needed to do something quickly but the joy of public transport meant that I was about to miss my very last route home to Coventry - I needed the quickest solution in the history of the world!

"Never let a computer know you're in a hurry." ~ Author Unknown

No chance! As soon as it looked like I had killed off the virus for good (checking msconfig for the hidden batch files and launching super anti-spyware), lo and behold the computer decided that it had been overworked and promptly crashed. I restarted the computer and guess what - it wouldn't even load up the start screens - had I killed the virus or inflicted another on the machine? The only way to know was to reinstall EVERYTHING! - always good when you should have been on your way home an hour ago!

"Jesus saves! The rest of us better make backups." ~ Author Unknown

Cue hours of reinstalling Windows, printer material, Office software and the like meaning that by the time I did go home, it wasn't via public transport but via a private taxi firm at some ungodly hour!

But guess what? Windows was successfully restored with no trace of Thinkpoint. Don't ask me how I did it - I really don't know but the first thing I did was brag just a little to Mr Yasin. Let's put this into perspective - I'm a journalist, not a technician.

It took a long, long time to do and I still don't know exactly what it is I did to destroy Thinkpoint and restore the computer but after the harrowing experience, I am inclined to wholeheartedly agree with the following quote:

"Computers must be female. No one but the creator understands their internal logic. The native language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else. The message "Bad command or file name" is about as informative as, "If you don't know why I'm mad at you, then I'm certainly not going to tell you." Even the smallest mistakes are stored in long term memory for later retrieval. As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half your paycheck on accessories for it." ~ Author Unknown

For more information on Thinkpoint and to find out how to destroy it from your computer, click here

Searching for truth in Paranormal Activity 2

Its the film that everyone is talking about and also the one that campaign groups want banned for fear of viewers reading too much into it but is Paranormal Activity 2 really all its cracked up to be?

As someone who never saw the first film, strictly does not believe in the paranormal and has never actually been remotely frightened by any sort of 'horror' film in the past, I couldn't help being a little skeptical as the Mrs dragged me out to see it. A couple of hours later and it had certainly left an effect on me.

Let's get one thing straight - Paranormal Activity 2 is a scary film but not in the way you might expect. It is extremely cleverly edited so that it lulls you into a false sense of security from the very beginning and then begins to manipulate your paranoia as soon as you become comfortable. Everyone has some sort of paranoia-driven fear. Walking home in the dark alone, you always feel uncomfortable when you hear a noise and there's no-one around. Hearing noises when you are in bed coming from an empty room or seeing something fall off a shelf on its own - even your pet dog barking at absolutely nothing at all. These are the fears that Paranormal Activity 2 play upon but it is not so much the fear than the tension the film creates.

Not since the remake of King Kong has a film managed to gather as much tension as Paranormal Activity and after a bizarre opening twenty minutes when you meet all the characters who are set for a disturbing end, there is not one point throughout the film where you actually feel comfortable.

The film is written so that the majority of the paranormal activity occurs at night and for the first few minutes, you are put on edge as you see inexplicable incidents like a pool cleaner moving on its own and pans falling without being touched. The scenes quickly change to the next morning where the participants of the household are discussing the bizarre events that transpired.

There is a huge onus on the film as to whether or not it is based on any element of truth and certainly until half-way through the broadcast, it is a credible story - even for one who has no time for paranormal fantasies. However, as the ever approaching shadows of the paranormal become larger, the film begins to tail off and lose all credibility.

From random doors closing and children's toys moving on their own, to a grown woman being swept off her feet and seemingly thrown down a flight of stairs, Paranormal Activity 2 quickly turns from a half-believable tale to a hyperbolic nightmare (if you will excuse the pun!) For there is no way that a spirit can drag someone into a cupboard, cut their body open and posses them and even less way that these events can be caught on some sort of CCTV equipment.

However, although such events are a stark contrast to the opening, slightly believable occurrences, the genius of the film is that it maintains its tension and continues to play on your fear of the unknown. Not your fear of being possessed by a spirit but your fear of a loved one being possessed or perhaps more realistically, placed in grave danger and about to draw you into it as well. The film raises a moral argument as to whether or not the family husband will try and help his wife or just flee from the property altogether.

Unfortunately for us, he chooses to help her and there the film unravels to make a mockery of its original credibility. He becomes embroiled in a fight with the spirit with a typical Christian cross and comes off worse for wear as the film switches from being a modest video diary camera documentary to a rip off of The Omen. Its hard to describe the futility of the latter part of the film, especially when compared to the opening hour, without giving away the ending to those that have not yet seen it.

And yet, as you leave the cinema, there is something about Paranormal Activity 2 that still has you on edge. OK, the latter end was extremely unbelievable but throughout the entire film there was always something lurking that refused to allow you to sit comfortably. Perhaps the film is based on a true story and spirals out of control at the end or perhaps the 'based on a true story' tag is just a marketing ploy to attract audiences and give the production some sort of authenticity, thus making it all the more frightening?

Hopefully it is not the latter, for the film was certainly more credible and scary as it developed, before it became a seething mess of traditional, clichéd horror gore. Whether it is true or not is up to the audience member to determine based on their own personal beliefs and experiences but that aside, you cannot fault the film-makers for their genius. Never before have I been on the edge of my seat for an entire movie, start-to-finish and as I returned home and received an anonymous phone call with nothing on the other end, I have to admit to being just a little spooked.