<–U.S. Warning/Advisory Map (left) and Live radar of W. Michigan. l links: GRR NWS radar, GRR storm total precipitation,  Great Lakes radar, latest surface observations, a surface weather map, GRR NWS discussion, Visible Satellite loop (daytime), Infrared Satellite Loop (night), Here’s Milwaukee NWS radar and Chicago radar, the Spyglass Weather Station (Holland Channel) and the Muskegon GLERL weather station. The 84-hour NAM snowfall map and the 120-hour GFS snowfall map. This could be the biggest synoptic event of the winter for southern Michigan.  Tuesday AM update:   Winter Storm Warning for 6-12″ over 36 hours for snow Tues. and Weds. combined.  The Warning (red colder on the map)  covers all of our area…all of Indiana and Ohio and much of Wisconsin and Illinois.  Here’s the latest Grand Rapids NWS discussion.   Latest GFS plot gives us about 0.58 precip. (it’s been very consistent with this figure) with the snow starting around daybreak Tuesday.   At a 15 to 1 snow to water equivalent – that would be 8-9″ of snow for G.R.  It gives 0.67″ to Battle Creek (10 inches), 0.62″ for Kalamazoo (9-10″), maybe 4-5″ snow up at Manistee (these are 2-day totals).  It may snow a little harder Tues. Night than during the day Tuesday, esp. NE of G.R.  Schools could be closed on Wednesday.  Tuesday PM to Weds. midday we’ll see drifting snow and a still northeast wind.  Snowplowers, salting/sanding may be necessary for the AM rush hour on Tuesday, esp. SW of G.R.  GFS plot has nothing warmer than low 30s through Feb. 24.  The NAO is in the tank negative and the Arctic Oscillation stays negative…evidence that winter’s going to hang on probably all or almost all of the rest of this month and maybe into March…no significant thaws.  Remember I said that the two years that we had the most similar patterns to this year…we had above normal snowfall in Feb.-March with 8″+ snowstorms in both February and March and the cold air hanging around through the first part of March.  This storm will also produce significant snow in the big cities of the East, with New York and Boston getting in on the action this time.  Another storm Friday/Saturday will likely bring snow all the way down to Dallas and maybe Atlanta.  All time biggest 24-hour snowfalls for Grand Rapids in February:  11.4″ 2/3/2007, 9.1″ 2/11-12/1985.  61% of the Lower 48 States has a snow cover this morning.  Also, officially we have only had one day (1/25) since 12/3 when we have not had at least 1″ of snow on the ground in Grand Rapids at 7 AM.

After 7 weeks at number one, “Avatar” drops to 2nd behind “Dear John”

Romantic drama “Dear John” counter programming to Super Bowl weekend knocks “Avatar” from #1 … the other newcomer “From Paris with Love” was 3rd.

“Avatar” became the all-time leader at the U.S. Box Office last weekend, it now has $630 million total.  “Avatar” falls weeks short of breaking the record for most weeks at the top spot: (since 1982) “Titanic” was #1 for 15 weeks consecutively, “E.T.” had the most weeks at #1 with 16.

Overall, the weekend was down about 7% from last weekend.

TOP MOVIES AT WEEKEND BOX OFFICE (actual results):
  1. “Dear John” – $32.40 million (1st week)

2. “Avatar” - $23.60 million
(8th week, was #1 last week, lost 25% of audience from last week)

3. “From Paris With Love” – $8.12 million (1st week)

4. “Edge of Darkness” – $7.00 million
(2nd week, was #2 last week, lost 59% from last week)

5. “The Tooth Fairy” - $6.50 million
(3rd week, was #4 last week, lost 35% from last week)

Read the rest of this entry »

With apologies to Abbott and Costello…an updated Super Bowl version:

Costello: Who was the halftime act at Super Bowl 44?

Abbott: Yes.

Costello: I mean the group’s name.

Abbott: Who. Read the rest of this entry »

Saints 31-17!  O!  O!  INDYDOG probably hit the ceiling!  Colts!     Leave a comment with your prediction or a comment on the game or a commercial in the game.  With the commercials…remember the goal is to get you to buy the product.      Some Super Bowl Trivia:  The first Super Bowl (1967) was broadcast on both NBC and CBS (with different announcers).  Did you know that the Super Bowl got it’s name from an 8-year old girl?  Sharron Hunt was the young daughter of Lamar Hunt, the owner of the Kansas City Chiefs.  At the time she was playing with a small rubber ball called a “super ball” (anyone remember getting them from the “Fun Machine” at Mr. Fables?). From watching his daughter he got the idea that the pro football championship game be called the “Super Bowl”. Lamar suggested that name to the other owners and they bought the idea!  For some Super Bowl trivia…click here and click here. In most years the Super Bowl is the #1 most watched TV program of the entire year.  It’s the 2nd top day of the year for food consumption in the U.S. during the year – Thanksgiving Day is #1.  The Pittsburgh Steelers have played in the most Super Bowls (6).  Four teams haven’t been in a Super Bowl (Jacksonville, Houston, Cleveland and of course the Lions).  Michigan has hosted the Super Bowl twice…in ‘82 at the Pontiac Silverdome and in ‘06 at Ford Field.  Those are the only two Super Bowls when snow was recorded at the stadium on game day.  Here’s some Super Bowl weather history.  I’ll probably be close to a computer to update during the game, so come back and check in.

Nothing motivates like failure.

After skipping out on a training run with the Gazoom group last week because it was “too cold”, I had to man up this week.

It’s been a good week.

I went running three times and set personal bests on all three runs.

On Tuesday I ran 5 miles.  The most I’ve ever run in one day.

On Thursday I ran 3 miles without stopping.  Sadly, a new personal record.

Then today (Saturday), I joined forces with RUNGR and Gazoom at the downtown YMCA for a Fifth Third Riverbank Run training run and ran six miles.  I dreaded the idea of six miles, especially in the cold.  But with encouragement from people I’ve never met and other members of the Road Warriors, it was pretty easy.  Except for the part when Greg Meyer (the last American to win the Boston Marathon) started running alongside me for a short stretch.  I’m still not in good enough shape to run and talk, but I managed that.  What killed was when he gently tried to increase my pace without me realizing.  Once I caught onto his act, I said “if I keep running this pace I’ll never make it.  Good talk.”  He then made fun of my sweat pants and joined some real runners.  Thanks for helping pass the time, Greg.  Thanks for all you do for this race and the running community in West Michigan.

14 miles in one week.  That’s a great week for me.  Oh wait, isn’t the Fifth Third Riverbank Run a little over 15 miles?  I guess I still have some work to do.

DREAMWORKS PUTS OUT CASTING CALL FOR HUGH JACKMAN’S YOUNG CO-STAR IN UPCOMING “REAL STEEL” MOVIE TO BE SHOT IN MICHIGAN

 DreamWorks Studios has launched a nationwide casting search to fill a lead role in its upcoming movie “Real Steel” scheduled for a June 2010 production in Detroit area with some scenes planned for West Michigan.

They are looking for young male actor age 10-14 to play “Max” – described as: Male, 10-14 years old.  He’s a street-smart, tough, charming kid with a hard, untrusting outer shell which hides a warm enthusiastic spirit beneath.  He is a complicated, strong-willed and resourceful boy.

Any actors interested in the role can audition two different ways:  by submitting a videotaped audition through www.realsteelcasting.com (complete instructions are available on the website).

There will also be two open call auditions Sunday, February 14, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois and Saturday, February 20, 2010 in New York, New York.  No acting experience is necessary for interested actors, nor are they required to prepare anything for the audition.

Details on the open call auditions:  Read the rest of this entry »

A State of Emergency has been declared in part or all of five states (VA – W. VA – NC – MD – DE).  Up to 39″ of new snow is reported (Ekridge)…many reports of +30″ Gust to 78 mph in Tazewell Va.  Half the county is  without power.  Significant structural damage…McDonald’s Playland blown into the street.  Winds gusts of 50-60 mph downed trees and power lines in West Virginia, where flooding has closed some roads.  Officials suspended bus and rail travel in Washington D.C. and fire fighters battled a hospital fire.  As of 2 AM, up t0 18″ of new snow is reported in W. Virginia, 16″ in western Maryland and southern Pennsylvania, 10″ in western North Carolina and in Ohio, 8.5″ in Indiana.  Final totals could reach 20-30″.  Hundreds of accidents are reported in Virginia alone, and there have been at least two storm related fatalities.   It looks like a total of 26.3″ at DCA, with a season total of 53.6″. The record snowfall from a single storm for Washington D.C. was 28″ in Jan. 1922.  The most snow in a winter for D.C. was 54.4″ in 1898-99 with 46.0″ in 1995-96 now in 3rd place.   DCA had 8.7″ of new snow Friday PM and 17.6″ Saturday.  Baltimore/Washington Airport had 7.8″ as of midnight and 17″ after midnight for a total of 24.8″.  Charlottesville, VA doesn’t report snow, but they had 1.6″ precipitation on Friday and .36″ on Saturday, and it looks like it was all snow.  They had 0.31″ in an hour!  Wonder if that’s right.  You could suffocate in snow like that.  27″ in Philadelphia – 2nd biggest snowstorm ever.

Higher Income Tax for the City of Grand Rapids

This week, City Manager Greg Sundstrom announced intentions to increase the city’s income tax.  Until recently, the trend in some cities has been to eliminate the personal income tax -  not add to it.  The thinking has been by reducing income tax, cities might be in a better position to attract employers.  After all, city income tax makes paychecks smaller and that could put pressure on employers to cough up the difference.

There are 22 cities in Michigan with an income tax.  Grand Rapids charges residents 1.3% and .65% for non-residents who work in the city. The proposal would raise rates to 1.5% for residents and .75% for non-residents.  On a salary of $50,000 a year, the increase would cost residents an extra $100 per year, non-residents, an extra $75 annually.

Income tax raised $58,259,600 for the city in 2008.  Roughly one-third of that, $17,023,591 came from non-residents.  The remainder came from residents and business. Sundstrom wants to put the increase proposal on a ballot, however only residents will be allowed to vote.  It will be interesting to see how the city’s non-resident workers.  Will they ask, taxation without representation?

Hangar42 Studios becomes the biggest film production studio in Michigan

(UPDATED WITH MORE INFO, VIDEO, CONTACTS FOR JOBS OR VENDORS)

“I’ve had producers walk into this building and say we need to buy this place … it resonates that hard with them,” said Rick Hert, Film Commissioner of The West Michigan Film Office.

Its a big place… and a big deal… Hangar42 Studios is now officially open for business in the film and tv industry.

The nearly 500,000-square-foot full-service film production studio takes over the former Lear Plant at 2150 Alpine Ave NW in Walker.

Hangar42 Studios says it is Michigan’s first fully-financed major film studio to open utilizing the infrastructure credit as part of the Michigan Film Credit.

The studio expects to create 50-60 administrative positions and 750 – 1,000 additional jobs in its first three years of operation.

“This levels the playing field this gives us the opportunity to sell the largest studio in the state, perhaps the midwest or the United States”, Hert said.  “Its a facility thats for year round filming… its gonna give us a chance to be able to secure a number of projects to our area.”

VIDEO: Hangar42 Studios on eightWest (2/5/10)

VIDEO: Hangar42 Studios on 24 Hour News 8 (2/4/10)

Two small budget movies have already used the facilities… “Genesis Code” (starring Ernest Borgnine, Fred Thompson, Louise Fletcher) used the large building space for sets and green screens summer 2009 and “Gun” (starring 50 Cent, Val Kilmer) shots scenes, including an explosive action scene in January 2010.

Hert and the West Michigan Film Office have been working on getting a permanent building with studio or soundstage space for months – “The exciting thing about it is that as these productions come in, they’re gonna create jobs and what we can look at is tv shows, feature films and these would be year-round job opportunities because of the size of this space we have that opportunity to have three, four, five, six projects going on in here at a time”.

A group of local investors own Hangar42 Studios, investing $45 million to purchase and renovate 450,000 square feet of the former Lear Plant.  150 people on crews working 3 shifts a day 24/7 for about two weeks are renovating it into production-ready studios, office space and post-production suites.  The facility was built in 1942 by the U.S. Government as a military airplane and boat manufacturing facility and later was a General Motors and Lear plant.

Artist renderings of some of the rooms to be built as part of Hangar 42 Studios.

Hert says that Michigan went from $2 million in filming in 2007, to $125 million in 2008 (after passing the state’s tax incentives in April 2008), to $225 million worth of filming in 2009 in the state of Michigan.

“Not just compete in the state of Michigan, this is world class stuff,” Hert added.  ”I mean I’m talking to folks from England, Italy right now… this is world class because of our tax incentives that we have because of this facility because of the locations because of the services we can offer because of our growing crew base, this is world class.”

Anyone interested in jobs can go to the company’s website: Hangar42 Studios website or email: jobs@hangar42studios.com.

Interested vendors can also contact by email: vendor@hangar42studios.com.

Other questions can be addressed to: info@hangar42studios.com.

The investment and the players in this project

From a press release: “This is a project that has been Read the rest of this entry »

New in Theaters (Friday 2/5): “Dear John”, “From Paris With Love”, “The Messenger” (limited), “A Single Man” (limited)

LAST DAYS TO SEE IMAX 3D “Avatar”: “Avatar” in IMAX 3D moving to Celebration Lansing on February 12th.  Last showtimes in Grand Rapids at Celebration North:  February 10, 6:30 pm.

Moving to Woodland Mall this week ($4.00 shows): 
“Invictus”, “Daybreakers”

Playing in limited release in Grand Rapids market:
“The Messenger” (UICA in Grand Rapids) thru 2/11,
“Youth in Revolt” (The Harbor Theater in Muskegon),
“A Single Man” (Celebration! North, The Harbor Theater in Muskegon),
“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” (The Harbor Theater in Muskegon and Woodland),
Chiaroscuro Film Series 1/17-4/11 at UICA in Grand Rapids

Next Week in Theaters (Friday): “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief”, “Valentine’s Day”, “The Wolfman”, “The Young Victoria” (The Harbor Theater in Muskegon)

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New on DVD: “Amelia”, “Cold Souls”, “The House of the Devil”, “Love Happens”, “More Than a Game”, “New York, I Love You”, “Zombieland”

Next Week on DVD (Tuesday): “Couples Retreat”, “Dare” (WFF alum), “Peter and Vandy” (WFF alum), “Endgame”, “I Hate Valentine’s Day”, “A Serious Man”, “Serious Moonlight”, “The Stepfather”, “The Time Traveler’s Wife”

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MY REVIEWS OF OTHER MOVIES CURRENTLY PLAYING IN THEATERS OR AVAILABLE TO RENT/BUY:  Read the rest of this entry »