A gift for the West coast folks!

From x-entertainment, I mentioned our little snowstorm a few entries back, completely forgetting that fact that many of you live in climates that have completely precluded you from ever touching the funny white stuff. I can't imagine that. I feel for you. Fortunately, some two-bit company from someplace or another has seen fit to deliver us from the evils of snowless societies with a little kit that will let anyone create and play with a substance that, on a stretch, passes as actual snow!

The "Super Snow" kit consists of a little baggy of magic powder, and if I were you, I wouldn't try bringing it through airport security. By stirring even a small amount of powder with a few ounces of water, an icy, sticky and sopping wet mass of snow-like alien gel will form!



As you stir, the water and powder will join hands and transform into a white blob that looks sort of like really clean oatmeal, and incredibly, it works very much like real snow: You can roll a snowball, make little snowmen, and if the mood strikes, I'm pretty sure that you can eat it without dying.

In reality, the substances used to make this "instant snow" are borrowed from another purpose. The snow gel is actually more often used as plant soil in dry areas. I'm not making this up; it says so right on the back of the package. Then again, the back of the package also claims that Super Snow can be used at parties, weddings and festivals. They may have taken a few liberties. Sure, it could be used at a wedding…but for what? Did the upstart tradition wherein man and wife consummate their contractual bond by making fake snow together somehow escape me?


All in all, I was really surprised at how well the stuff worked. I was expecting a gloppy, powdery mess, but the faux frost really does feel like the end result of some foreign utopia's ten year research expedition. I really can't think of a single way to improve the stuff. It's not poisonous, it looks like snow, it feels like snow, and it's kind of shiny. Those are the four hallmarks of any item worth purchasing.

I found my Super Snow in an actual store with real doors, but it looks like there are plenty of online options. True, it might be a bit late to be ordering the stuff for Christmas, but I think snow is safe to enjoy in January without anyone telling you to get over yourself.

The Advent is technically up to date so long as I put #18 up before midnight. Vegas odds never favor me, though. I've got a few others things that need to be covered before Santa arrives, lest I be left with a big plastic bin of "stuff to write about" that has to rot in the closet until next Christmas. Maybe another blog entry later today? Vegas says no, but we'll see.

[JPX]Save your money, I know where you can get a ton of this stuff for free.

No wonder Carlton got fat

I forgot this show even existed

From syfyportal, It might not be on for much longer, but "Bionic Woman" will still be around ... at least until the strike is over.

TV Guide received confirmation from NBC Universal Media Studios that the highly hyped NBC show has not been cancelled, as previously reported on other news outlets. SyFy Portal had not picked up the original story because it had not received any corroboration that the show had indeed been cancelled from those connected with the show.

"Bionic Woman" has lost more than half of its audience from its not-so-spectacular debut last fall, and if the Writers Guild of America had not been striking, there's a good chance NBC would've pulled the plug on the series by now.

But there is still at least a little more "Bionic Woman" to come. NBC ordered 13 episodes, and not all 13 have been produced. The NBCU spokesperson said that as soon as the strike is over, finishing that episode will be the network's "first order of business."

"Bionic Woman" airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

John Travolta Fired From Dallas

From cinemablend, With all the upheaval around the long in pre-production movie version of Dallas, there’s only been one constant: John Travolta as J.R. Ewing. But now it seems even that certainty has been thrown out the window.

The NY Post is reporting that John Travolta has been fired from the project. That’s right, I said fired. Not parted ways over creative differences, or moved on to something else. Fired. At least that’s the way the Post makes it sound. They say, “John was given a nice seven-figure 'gift' to go away quietly.”

Part of the reason for the removal of Dallas could be that they’re back to taking the film in a comedic direction. If you’ve been following along, they were considering that earlier this year, before switching it back to a drama. Now though, the rumor is that they’re looking for someone like Ben Stiller to play J.R., which means a wacky, annoying parody of the show rather than a real adaptation. You know, the standard 70s/80s adaptation treatment where they make fun of your favorite television shows and then spit on you for liking them. Bewitched anyone?

At this point, it’s probably safe to bet that this thing is just never going to get made. At least I hope not. If it does happen, it’ll be a total mess.

LEGO Iron Man Looks Good, Sad

From geekology, The Arvo brothers made a pretty good looking Iron Man in anticipation of the upcoming film. As you can see by the picture it's, uh, Iron Man made out of LEGO blocks. He seemed to have gotten all the colors right and everything. Good job, but why does he have to be so sad looking? Shouldn't he be posed punching through a brick wall or humping a bulldozer? Instead he's sitting cross-legged with a look on his face like the builder forgot to build him a penis. And that breaks my LEGO heart.

'Wall-E' Trailer is Impossibly Charming, As Expected

From thesuperficial, When I want a Coke, I buy a Coke. I know from the label exactly what will be in a Coke, how refreshingly cool it will feel in my mouth, how sweet the high fructose corn syrup will taste on my tongue. No need to dump gallon after gallon of it over my head to remind me exactly how great Coca-Cola is.

Similarly, I don't need another precious trailer to Pixar's Wall-E. Yes, Pixar, I know you've "done it again," creating another expertly animated, ridiculously adorable world sure to delight children and adults alike with its humor and heart. So you can stop rubbing my face.

And, you know, it wouldn't kill you guys to make something shitty every now and then, remind us that you aren't necessarily evil androids appeasing the human masses until our destruction. The same goes for Radiohead.

Check it out here

'Hellboy II' Holiday eCard: Tell Your Family You Simply Don't Care

From iwatchstuff, New at Hellboymove.com: the Hellboy II: The Golden Army Holiday eCard. What better way to tell your family "I'm a huge nerd, and thought you'd enjoy the image of a muscular, sultry demon spawn threatening you instead of a phone call"?

T4 plot synopsis

From CHUD, When Ain't It Cool broke the story that Christian Bale was in Terminator 4, playing John Connor, one of my sources became confused. That couldn't be true, I was told - John Connor is barely in the movie. Turns out that it's true, and that yes, John Connor is barely in the movie. Over the last week I have been gathering some details about Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins, and while I am trying to steer clear of serious spoiler material, people who don't want to know anything about this movie should step away from the computer right now.

John Connor is not the main character of Terminator 4; that character is someone named Marcus. Marcus was put 'out of commission' before the nuclear holocaust on Judgment Day and he wakes up about 15 years before the future we see in the original Terminator films, which puts the movie at about 2015 or so. Marcus is a bad ass - think along the lines of Riddick - and what he finds is a blasted world filled with horror. Radiation poisoning, starvation, rampant jaywalking - all the things you expect post-apocalypse. There's also John Connor, who is trying to build a utopian society while running the human resistance.

Connor's role is apparently bigger in the second film; whoever they hire for Marcus (my understanding is that the part is not yet cast) will be around for all three films. Terminator 4 is going to be the most male-centric of all the Terminator films, but there is a butt busting female character by the name of Blair, a pilot for the human resistance.

They're going to need some buttkickers, because the scope of the action in Terminator 4 is HUGE. Lots of machine action in this film, including some battles with the T-600s. Yup, the rubber skin Terminators. And there's another familiar character that shows up - Reese shows up in a scene with John Connor. I don't know what his involvement in the next two films will be, though.

Finally, here's a story point that's probably a legitimate spoiler (although it's sort of the main crux around which the story revolves, so it will probably get blown in the advertising), so I'll invisotext this stuff: A big aspect of the story is the degrees of difference between a human and a Terminator. By which I mean cyborgs. By which I mean human brains in robot bodies.

I've gathered this info from a number of different sources, and while they all have different takes on the material (all mostly positive, with one of my sources saying that the story is great and that the action promises to be incredible), they all bring up one point of comparison: The Matrix films. Make of that what you will. For me, the information I've gotten - including really spoilery stuff I won't inflict on you - has gotten me jazzed. This film feels like it could be epic and erase the taste of the workmanlike T3 from my mouth. Let's hope McG can pull this off.

Will Ferrell named worst autograph signer

From thesuperficial, Will Ferrell was officially named the worst celebrity autograph signer. Despite having a huge fanbase the comedy actor hates signing autographs, Steve Cyrkin, the editor and publisher of Autograph magazine, told Reuters:

"What's so frustrating about Will Ferrell being the worst autograph signer this past year is that he used to be so nice to fans and collectors, and a great signer. What makes him so bad is that he'll taunt people asking for his autograph."
Holy crap, is Will Ferrell wearing a cowboy hat? That is hilarious. Seriously, where does this guy come up with stuff? I don’t care that he pisses in his fan's faces and won't sign autographs. Walk around with a cowboy hat like that and you’re A-okay in my book. Aw, man, I hope he gets gratuitously naked in his next movie. That gag never gets old!

Any plans for the evening, JPX?

I used to love it when Spider-Man showed up on The Electric Company!