Pakistan reels from fresh attack

Posted by Talha On Friday, October 23, 2009 0 comments


Devastation in the town of Alpurai following the blast
mapAt least 41 people have been killed in a suspected suicide car bombing in Pakistan's Swat valley, officials say.
The explosion hit a security convoy in Shangla district - an area the military said it had retaken from militants.
It is the latest in a string of attacks and comes amid warnings of an offensive against militants in nearby South Waziristan, on the Afghan border.
On Saturday militants stormed the army headquarters in Rawalpindi. Pakistan vowed to hit back "imminently".
The Pakistani Taliban said it had carried out the attack in Rawalpindi, through a Punjab faction of the group.
Spokesman Azam Tariq said it was to avenge the recent killing of Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud by a US drone.
Dozens hurt
The latest attack took place early in the afternoon in the town of Alpurai, in Swat valley in Shangla district.
Alpurai was not under Taliban control at the time of a major anti-Taliban offensive by the military in Swat valley earlier this year.
Security officials say a car blew up near a hospital in the market as a convoy of troops was passing by.
Dozens of people, including security personnel, are said to have been injured in the explosion.
"It appears to be a suicide attack," Reuters news agency quoted Shangla police official, Khan Bahadur Khan as saying.
"The bomber hit one of three military vehicles that were passing through the busiest market in the district," he said.
Witnesses said the area was strewn with debris. A military spokesman said several trucks were destroyed in the blast.
The bombing - the fourth major attack within a week - brings to over 100 the death toll in four days of militant attacks across Pakistan.
Bajaur bombardment
Earlier on Monday, Pakistani security forces used aircraft and artillery to bombard militants in the Bajaur tribal district near the Afghan border.
A security official told the BBC at least 15 militants were killed and over 25 injured in the raids on hideouts.
But local tribesmen told the BBC at least five of those killed were civilians, including women and a child.
The bombardment began after the end of a deadline for local Taliban militants to lay down weapons.
In June the army declared the three-month anti-Taliban offensive in the Swat valley a success.
It has arrested several high-profile Taliban leaders in Swat since then, including the spokesman for the Taliban in Swat, Muslim Khan.
Muslim Khan's capture was viewed as a major coup against the Taliban, although the group's leader in Swat, Maulana Fazlullah, remains at large.
More than a million people were displaced by the Swat offensive. Many have since returned and the army maintains a significant presence there.
Some analysts say that in the wake of the army onslaught a number of militants fled to neighbouring districts.
During the offensive, fighting also spilled into Shangla district.
Over the past few months troops have also been gathering on the border of South Waziristan, where the Taliban have one of their main strongholds.
After Baitullah Mehsud was killed by a US missile in early August, there was a relative lull in Taliban attacks.
But there has been a resurgence in militant activity since the start of this month.


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Suicide bomber kills eight in Pakistan

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Security forces survey the site of a suicide bomb attack at the entrance of the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex in Kamra, about 75 km (45 miles) northwest of the capital Islamabad October 23, 2009.
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Suicide bomber kills eight in PakistanA Taliban suicide bomber killed eight people outside a key Pakistani airforce facility on Friday, with officials quick to deny suggestions the target was linked to the country’s nuclear program.
The bomber detonated explosives strapped to his body at a checkpoint outside the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex in Kamra, some 75 kms (45 miles) northwest of the capital, Islamabad.
There were also police and hospital reports of a blast in the northwest city of Peshawar that wounded seven people, but further details were not immediately available.
The attacks come as the army continues a major offensive against Pakistani Taliban militant strongholds in South Waziristan, near the Afgfhan border.
The offensive has raised fears the insurgents will step up a suicide bombing campaign on urban targets. Over 150 people have been killed in a series of brazen attacks in the past few weeks.
“Eight people were killed and 13 were wounded, three of them seriously,” said Shaukat Sultan, head of the main government hospital in Kamra, scene of Friday’s airbase attack.
Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani told a cabinet meeting on Wednesday that the country’s nuclear infrastructure was safe and faced no threat from Taliban militants, and an airforce official was quick to dispel suggestions on Friday that the Kamra facility was linked to the weapons program.
“It’s nonsense. It’s rubbish,” the airforce official told Reuters.
Friday’s attack came a day after an army brigadier and his driver were killed in a drive-by shooting in Islamabad, while at least six people, including two suicide bombers, died in twin attacks at an Islamic University in the capital on Tuesday.
MORE ATTACKS
Analysts have warned of the possibility of more attacks as the militants come under pressure in Soputh Waziristan, with the Taliban hoping bloodshed and disruption will cause the government and ordinary people to lose their appetite for the offensive.

The offensive is a test of the government’s determination to tackle Islamic fundamentalists, and the campaign is being closely followed by the U.S. and other powers embroiled in Afghanistan.
It is also affecting the financial markets, with the benchmark KSE index falling around six percent this week.
“There is still concern regarding the security situation,” said Asif Qureshi, director at brokers Invisor Securities, who said sentiment would remain tentative until a successful offensive seemed more clear cut.
At lunch (0700 GMT), the index was up 0.28 percent on the day to 9,179.96 points.
Remote and rugged South Waziristan, with its rocky mountains and patchy forests cut through by dry creeks and ravines, is a global hub for militants who flit between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
About 28,000 soldiers are battling an estimated 10,000 hard-core Taliban, including about 1,000 tough Uzbek fighters and some Arab al Qaeda members.
The army said 24 militants and two soldiers were killed in the fighting on Thursday.
Foreign journalists are not allowed anywhere near the battle zone and it is dangerous even for Pakistani reporters to visit. Independent confirmation of casualty figures has not been possible.
More than 100,000 civilians have fled the area, with about 32,000 leaving since Oct. 13, the United Nations said.
The army has launched brief offensives in South Waziristan before, the first in 2004 when it suffered heavy casualties before striking a peace pact.


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Apple bows new iMacs with upgraded displays, touch-sensitive "Magic Mouse"

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On the heels of announcing blockbuster earnings for the past quarter, Apple unveils a slew of new products, including a pair of iMacs with razor-sharp, 16:9 displays, a redesigned plastic MacBook, and a new mouse that you can swipe with your fingertip, à la the iPhone.
First up: Meet the "Magic Mouse," a touch-enabled successor to the tepid, trackball-toting Mighty Mouse. A sleek, smooth sliver of plastic, the wireless Magic Mouse comes without dedicated buttons or wheels; instead, you perform simple multi-touch gestures (like tapping, swiping, and "zooming" on the iPhone) on the mouse's curved surface to select, rotate, or otherwise manipulate items on the screen. Lefties and righties can also configure the Magic Mouse as they see fit, according to Apple. I've yet to try the new Magic Mouse in person, but Engadget says that the new peripheral "feels much thinner than its predecessor," and that "the whole front of the unit provides a satisfying, unified click." Interesting. The price tag: $69.
Next: the new iMacs, including a 27-incher and a 21.5-inch model. Both retain the basic, all-in-one iMac design, but the upgraded models arrive with what look to be gorgeous new LED-backlit displays, complete with 16:9 aspect ratios ideal for movie fanatics. The new 21.5-inch iMac boasts a 1920 by 1080-pixel display, same as on your standard 1080p flatscreen, while the 27-inch model comes with a whopping 2560 by 1440 pixels ... or in other words, 1440p. Nice.

The two new iMacs also deliver upgraded graphics chipsets, with the choice of integrated Nvidia GeForce 9400M or dedicated ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics in the 21.5-inch model, or discrete ATI Radeon HD 4670 or 8850 graphics in the 27-inch iMac.

As usual, the new iMacs don't come cheap, but even the priciest 27-inch model starts south of $2,000, with the 3.06GHz, 4GB 21.5-inch iMac (with a 500GB hard drive) beginning at $1,199, while the cheaper of two 27-inch configurations (with a 3.06GHz processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 1TB hard drive) starts at $1,699. Not included in the mix: Blu-ray support.


Moving right along, we've got a redesigned white plastic MacBook, which now takes on the "unibody" design of its bigger MacBook Pro brothers. The MacBook's new polycarbonate shell weighs in at about 4.7 ounces and measures 1.8 inches thick, and it also comes with a non-replacable seven-hour battery—again, same as with the updated MacBook Pro line. Other improvements include an LED-backlit display and a bigger multi-touch glass trackpad. Prices still start at $999, though (for the 2.26GHz model with 2GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive).

Last but not least: an  upgraded Mac Mini, now with a faster processor (up to 2.66GHz) and more memory (up to 4GB), with prices starting at $599. Power users can also snap up a 2.53GHz Mini with dual 500GB hard drives and Mac OS X Server Snow Leopard pre-installed, for $999.
So, what do you think: Ready for the touch-sensitive Magic Mouse? How about the new, cinema-ready iMacs? Still chafing at Apple's high prices, or do the new price points sound reasonable?


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Who Else Wants To Make Money With Adsense?

Posted by Talha On Thursday, October 22, 2009 0 comments

http://foolblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/adsense-money.jpgFact number 1: Kids in high school are making thousands of dollars every month with Adsense.

Fact number 2: Housewives, retirees, mom and dads, who are just staying at home and have never made a dime on the internet have created full-time incomes by simply placing Adsense ads on their web site or blog.

These are just some of the “super Adsense earners”. You may have already heard about their story for they are among the few who are on their way to making millions worth of cash just by promoting Adsense sites.

Anyone, any age and gender can become money generating Adsense publishers as long as they what it takes. How does one go about this Internet advertising?

Writing articles for Adsense is the way to do it. Using the right keywords in your articles and having Google ads on a certain site has become the most profitable way of marketing that anybody can get into. No experience and level of education needed. If you are not using this strategy, or may not be aware of it in the first place, chances are you may be losing thousands of dollars worth of extra income and still do not know it yet.

This is one of the many reasons why writing original quality content articles is now the latest in marketing buzz. Content and links. When combined together becomes a really powerful tool to a successful web site and richer individuals. Many internet marketing professionals are already aware of the value of an original quality content and how using keywords can drive targeted traffic into their sites from the search engines.

So why don’t all these web site owners write and submit their own articles if that is what is important?

The simple and understandable answer is that it takes time to write articles, submit them and get targeted traffic to their websites. That is why they get the services of those who can spares sometime to write the articles that would cater to their site purpose but still turn out as a good quality and unique piece of work.

To get into the Adsense marketing business and start earning some good cash, ask yourself. Did you enjoy writing when you were in school? If you answer yes to this question, you already have an initial advantage over most internet marketing business owners that wants to make money online and doing it at home.

With the boom in the Adsense market comes the need for sites to want fresh, quality and original keyword rich content. This way, web site owners can have a steady supply of articles with the proper keywords that they relate to their site contents. The result of this is seen in the sites page rank when indexed by the search engines. Which, in turn, gets moreAdsense ads to show above, below or next to the article on their website with targeted traffic.

What do people have to do?

Write quality and original content, keyword or phrase rich articles with links to your website in the resource box. Then build a website or web page with targeted keyword or phrase rich original content for the targeted traffic that originates from the articles you wrote. Finally, you will have a Google Adsense ads that are targeted to your keyword or phrase rich original content site where visitors will get to visit when they come looking for information.

A win-win situation if you think more about it. A favor for persons looking for quality content and information. For the persons writing the original content articles. And the person with the quality original content rich website. Of course, the search engines and its advertisers are getting targeted traffic and sales but so what? As long as you are getting something in your favor, it does not really matter what the others are getting for themselves.

So who else wants to start earning money with Adsense. You. Everyone. Anybody. Internet marketing has many opportunities wide open for this people. Writing articles and using Adsense for your kind of internet marketing strategy is one sure way of getting a piece of that action and cash.

Better not be left behind the many making millions already.


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How can I download movies from internet for free?

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Hi all,

I am your friend and gon'na tell you that how easy it is to download any single movie from the internet for free! If you have ever heared about the Peer-to-Peer sharing or not don't worry I'll tell you how can you use it having fast or moderate Internet connection. Steps are given below:

1. Just first goto http://bitlord.com/ and download its free client.

2. Install that downloaded client onto your machine.

3. Now goto http://torrentportal.com/ for searching torrent files (these are files ending with.torrent extension and can be use with any torrent client. In our case with Bitlord).

4. After downloaded some torrent file from any torrent website or searching google like "Movie Name at p2p", double click the file to open it (note: if you have installed the Bitlord or any other torrent client the file will simply open with default client or ask you to open with).

5. Choose the path click download, wait few minutes and enjoy the absolutely free movie!

Hoorrey!!!

If you need any assistance regarding anything feel free to contact me.


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Better diagnosis raising autism

Posted by Talha On Wednesday, October 21, 2009 0 comments


istock_autism.jpgA study by researchers at Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has found that the rapid increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in Western Australia reflects changes to diagnostic practices and services.
The research will be published in October's edition of the InternationaJournal of Epidemiology.
Research co-author Dr Emma Glasson said the study investigated factors behind the concerning increase in autism rates.
“We wanted to address community concerns as to why there are so many more young children being diagnosed in recent years with autism spectrum disorders,” Dr Glasson said.
“While a true increase can’t be ruled out, there is a very definite pattern that shows the increase coincides with changes to the way autism was diagnosed and the provision of funding for early intervention services.”
The study found that in 1983 1.7 in every 10 000 children born in WA were diagnosed with ASD by age 8 compared with 53.4 per 10 000 children born in 1997, representing a 16.6 per cent increase per annum.
From the late 1980s there was a parent-initiated drive towards more proactive early intervention services. In 1991 a new panel was set up to determine the eligibility of children for services. In 1994 the diagnosis of Asperger syndrome was introduced. In 1997 new funding was made available for early intervention for pre-school children.
Dr Glasson said the study also observed that children were being diagnosed at a younger age, reflecting better awareness and parents’ willingness to access early intervention services.
“Early diagnosis and specialised services will give children with autism spectrum disorders and their families the best results,” Dr Glasson said.
“While we need to do more research to see if there is also a real increase in prevalence, we are confident that a substantial proportion of this rapid rise is due to better diagnosis and access to services.”
The research was supported by funding through the National Health and Medical Research Council.


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Unusual Metals Could Forge New Cancer Drug

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Drugs made using unusual metals could form an effective treatment against colon and ovarian cancer, including cancerous cells that have developed immunity to other drugs, according to research at the University of Warwick and the University of Leeds.


The study, published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, showed that a range of compounds containing the two transition metals Ruthenium and Osmium, which are found in the same part of the periodic table as precious metals like platinum and gold, cause significant cell death in ovarian and colon cancer cells.
The compounds were also effective against ovarian cancer cells which are resistant to the drug Cisplatin, the most successful transition metal drug, which contains the metal platinum.
Dr Patrick McGowan, one of the lead authors of the research from the School of Chemistry at the University of Leeds, explains: "Ruthenium and Osmium compounds are showing very high levels of activity against ovarian cancer, which is a significant step forward in the field of medicinal chemistry.
Sabine H. van Rijt, lead researcher in the laboratory of Professor Peter Sadler in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Warwick, said:
"Most interestingly, cancerous cells that have shown resistance to the most successful transition metal drug, Cisplatin, show a high death rate with these new compounds."
Professor Sadler, at the University of Warwick, commented that he is "excited by the novel design features in these compounds which might enable activity to be switched on and off".
Cisplatin was discovered in the 1970s and is one of the most effective cancer drugs on the market, with a 95% cure rate against testicular cancer. Since the success of Cisplatin, chemists all over the world have been trying to discover whether other transition metal compounds can be used to treat cancer.
In this type of anti cancer drug transition metal atoms bind to DNA molecules which trigger apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in the cancerous cells.
The study is a collaboration between the universities of Warwick and Leeds and was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).


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PhD Scholarship in Aircraft Coating Lifetime Prediction - EAIT - St Lucia

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SCHOOL OF MECHANICAL and MINING ENGINEERING / SCHOOL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 

The School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering and School of Chemical Engineering at UQ have unique multidisciplinary focus with leading-edge researchers working at the interface of the university and industry. The Defence Materials Technology Centre (DMTC) focuses on innovation through the development and application of new materials across four programs: Aircraft platforms, Maritime platforms, Armour applications and Propulsion systems. This project is fully funded by DMTC at UQ.

The project:We are seeking a PhD candidate to join a multi-disciplinary team that includes chemists, chemical engineers, materials engineers and industry partners.

Project scope:Corrosion of metal parts on aircraft and other defence materials is a multibillion dollar problem and often commences with the failure by cracking of the protective coating. The project will focus on understanding the mechano-chemical rate determining step and mechanisms of crack initiation for aircraft coatings. Specifically we will determine initiation mechanism and chemical and mechanical effects on initiation, and model spreading of chemical degradation in thin (polyurethane/epoxy primer) film coatings. Particular attention will be placed on the effect of intrinsic and externally applied mechanical stresses.

The person: Applicants should have a background in Materials Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or related disciplines. Skills in materials characterisation, product lifetime modelling, and quantitative analysis of research results are desirable.

Remuneration: The stipend will be an DMTC scholarship at $30,000 (tax free) per year for three years. Applicants should be Australian citizens or have permanent resident.
 Contact:  Further information regarding the project can be obtained by contacting Professor Graeme George g.george1@uq.edu.au or Professor Pete Halley p.halley@uq.edu.au
 Applications:  Please send a cover letter and curriculum vitae outlining your interest and suitability for this position to:
Professor Pete Halley
School of Chemical Engineering
The University of Queensland
St Lucia
Brisbane Qld 4072 or p.halley@uq.edu.au
 Applications close: Fri 13 November 2009


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What Everybody Ought to Know about GPAs

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After four years of exams, thesis statements, projects and internships, college graduates everywhere are ready to put their hard-earned grade point averages to use in their job hunt.
But will they matter?
Cy Wakeman, a human resources consultant and keynote speaker, says GPAs are valued less these days than in years past. Today, employers care more about a candidate's potential contribution to the company.
"While a GPA characterizes past successes in a controlled environment, it is not an accurate future predictor of effectiveness in the real world," Wakeman says. "To truly thrive in today's challenging times, candidates who can demonstrate the ability to capitalize on opportunity presented by change, and who are resilient and confident, [deliver] more results than those ... who have tested well."
Employers seem to agree that GPA isn't everything when it comes to the perfect candidate. Fifty-five percent of employers said they had no GPA requirement for college-graduate applicants, according to a recent Career Builder survey. Twenty-five percent require a 3.0 or higher, 12 percent require higher than a 3.5 and only 1 percent look for a 4.0.
When GPA matters; when it doesn't
Wakeman says that the importance of a GPA matters more or less based on the stage of your career, and the size and nature of the company to which you're applying.
For large, traditional and highly sought-after corporations, for example, GPAs are often used to screen applicants. If you're a new graduate applying to this type of company, your GPA might be your only ticket to the door, Wakeman says. In smaller, more progressive companies on the other hand, personal characteristics other than GPAs are usually considered.
"An applicant must make the case that they would provide a high return on investment," she says. "An applicant must [highlight] past results achieved through leadership, effort, resiliency, innovation, creativity or adaptability -- all competencies highly valued by hiring organizations today."
Additionally, it matters in what field you're looking to work.
"In highly technical fields such as nursing, accounting and actuarial science, GPAs are still weighted heavily, as the jobs in these fields closely mirror the actual college curriculums in which graduates are prepared," Wakeman says.
Finally, your GPA will only (possibly) make a difference on your application if you're a recent college graduate. If you've been in the work force for a while and have gained experience, your GPA becomes irrelevant.
"Never leave your GPA completely off your first résumé, but unless it is stellar, drop it off your résumé as soon as you have your first position in your chosen field," Wakeman says. "The only thing that matters to organizations after a candidate is well into the work force is the value they have produced recently: real-world results, relative skills and talents, and a resilient attitude."
Despite a low GPA, you can still get the job
Obviously, there is more to a candidate than his or her GPA. Even if you have a low GPA, it is possible to draw attention to other elements of your résumé.
Wakeman offers six ways to separate yourself from the pack, even with a low GPA:
1. Take advantage of employee referral programs
Theory proposes you are only six degrees of separation from an employee in any desired organization, Wakeman says. Connect with current employees and sell them on your value.
2. Appear more business savvy than your co-workers
"Read the top journals and publications in your chosen field. Avoid overkill on buzzwords but use keywords in the examples you mention," Wakeman says. Study the company's strategy and hone in on key aptitudes such as learning agility, motivating others and flexibility.
"Provide concrete examples from your past in which you have exhibited these very competencies vital to the company's future. Make the connection for the interviewing manager that you are fluent in the very nonacademic competencies that will be important for success at the company."
3. Don't use stereotypes
Refrain from providing stereotypical opinions about how those with great GPAs are "book smart" but not "business smart" or from justifying your own lower GPA. "If asked, be honest about your GPA, acknowledge it and smoothly highlight what you can bring to the table," Wakeman says.
4. Be accountable
Interviewers are hungry for personal accountability, so own up to your GPA if asked, Wakeman says. Use words such as "I chose," "I learned," "I assumed," "I denied," etc. Be prepared to talk about what you learned from the situation, how you got to where you are and how you would act differently in the future.
"Make no excuses. Use the phrase, 'While I did not have a stellar GPA, I do bring XYZ to the table.'" Think features and benefits: "What I can do for your organization is ..."
5. Deliver results
"A GPA becomes less important when you have recent experience. Be prepared to highlight actual deliverables and the measurable benefit derived from your work as a volunteer, intern or project team member," Wakeman says.
6. Show extra effort in the study of the company
"Use social media to connect with people who have worked at or still work at the company and interview them. Don't ask them how to get the job, but about what would be most valuable to them in a co-worker. In your interview, mention that you sought out some employees and interviewed them to prepare for your interview," Wakeman says.
"You can't do lousy at college and expect an employer to foresee a total turnaround in your future. They have little incentive to take risks in this economy where experienced workers are in great supply," Wakeman says. "Show extra effort in some area of your life, if not in your GPA, because one truth remains: It truly is extra effort for extra opportunity, no matter how it is measured or valued in the hiring process."
Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow her on Twitter:


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What is the best way to start learning programming?

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 In order to start learning programming you should first take a deep breath and think that why you are willing to jump into the ocean of programming.



Once you get your answer in positive, now you should decide what programming language you are willing to learn and what best suit your need. And mind one thing that demand can compromise with willingness. Once you know why you want to learn programming and what language you are willing to use, then you should consider compiler for your language. The choice of good compiler is first sign towards your success. And finally you should type the language keyword in Google to let it take you your way. In starting you will find everything fussy but if you have that interest remained, sooner or later you will know how to swim in that ocean.

            Now after putting you in your way, everything will become worse day by day as you will encounter more things often. You should practice daily of at least a single piece of code to get familiar with the language and its semantics. 
After getting deep knowledge of what this language is and how it can help businesses, you should try evaluating yourself whether you are able to be hired by someone or not. If your answer is in negative, you should read more and practice more until you reaches another corner of the ocean.
In the end, I, myself is a self-taught person and whatever I’ve learnt so far is all because of my computer and internet plus eBooks so nothing is impossible if you have blind curse for something.


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Double Trouble: Worst 'X Factor' Performance Ever? Or BEST?

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Sure, American Idol had Sanjaya Malakar. But identical twins John & Edward, the controversial contestants on Britain's X Factorwhose polarizing performances are causing fistfights to break out at pub viewing parties across the United Kingdom, make Sanjaya seem like Adam Lambert in comparison. Seriously, if there was such a thing as Vote For The Worst U.K., John & Edward would be that site's proud posterboys.
By this, I mean they are jaw-droppingly, gob-smackingly, compulsively watchable, even if they might be better watched with the telly's sound turned to mute.
Looking like Vanilla Ice bookends (a better stage name for this duo might be Double Scoop) and singing just about as well as Vanilla Ice raps, John & Edward have generated English outrage ever since they shockingly advanced to Bootcamp Week over arguably much more gifted, if much less fascinating, vocalists. But much like Sanjaya's notorious Kinks-mangling performance or electric-socket-shocked fauxhawk duringAmerican Idol season 6, it's the John & Edward moments that people REMEMBER. These are the moments that Brits are gabbing about over their beans and toast on Sunday mornings.


Like this latest twin-terror tour de force:

I personally think John & Edward are pop-culture geniuses, and they even have some famous fans, like Boy George ("If X Factor is about fun then the twins are the winners!" he tweeted this past weekend, revealing that he'd voted for them several times) and celebutante Peaches Geldof (who tweeted, "I have their hotline number on speed dial on my phone. Embarrassing? Sure. Amazing? Yep," and then when the twins miraculously made it through another round unscathed, tweeted again: "JOHN AND EDWARD GOT THROUGH!!! THERE IS A GOD!!!!")
But as for The X Factor's MOST famous associate, Simon Cowell, it's hard to say whether or not he's a fan of the "double divas from Dublin." Yes, Simon did declare their Saturday night Britney routine "THE WORST LIVE PERFORMANCE" he'd ever seen in the entire history of The X Factor, and likened it to something out of The Exorcist. (The X-orcist Factor? That has a nice ring to it; I predict/pray for a John & Edward spinoff show...) But he also said the twins' fun and fearless performance had made him like them more (they'd had "likability issues" on past episodes, due to their constant sassing back to the judges). And coming from Simon, that is high praise indeed.
But was it really the worst performance ever? I dunno...I say that an identical-twin duet of Britney Spears' "Oops I Did It Again"--complete with shiny red PVC suits inspired by Brit's iconic plastic catsuit and a bizarre Titanic skit mid-song (both nods to the original song's video), plus a fleet of dancing Daft Punk-esque robots--just might be the BEST X Factor performance ever, really. Pure genius.
Now, if these wondertwins take a cue from Simon's Exorcistcomment and spew Linda Blair-style pea soup during next week's number, I will figure out some way to rent a U.K. mobile phone and vote for them multiple times myself.





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