Starting Five
1. Hell on Earth
It was already fixing to be a hellish weekend in the southwest before the lightning strike. Temperatures soared to 115 degrees in Phoenix and as high as 127 degrees in the town of Furnace Creek, Calif. (we happen to be 10 days away from the 100th anniversary of the hottest temperature ever recorded in the U.S.A., 134 degrees). Then Mother Nature created the spark that ignited a wild fire near the town of Yarnell, about 80 miles northwest of Phoenix.
On Sunday, a radical shift in winds caused the fire to change direction suddenly. Nineteen firefighters perished in the blaze, 18 of whom were members of the Granite Mountain Hotshot crew out of nearby Prescott. As the fire rages out of control, having already consumed more than 6,000 acres, officials note that this is now the deadliest wildfire involving firefighters in the U.S. in at least three decades.
2. A Month to Remember
Our torrid crush on Los Angeles Dodger rookie Yasiel Puig continues unabated, and why not? Puig just wrapped up the best debut month in the Major Leagues since Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio, and that’s fair company. In yesterday’s 6-1 win over the Phillies, Puig had his first four-hit game, giving him 44 for the month of June (he was called up on June 3). Only the Yankee Clipper, who had 48 in May of 1936, amassed more in his opening month.
Puig, 22, has seven home runs (again, only Joe D. had 40 hits and as many as four homers in his first month) and leads all MLB hitters with at least 75 plate appearances with a .436 batting average. Also worth noting: The Dodgers were a moribund 23-32 when Puig arrived. They are now 37-43, or 14-11 since his arrival. Not superb, but obviously the arrow is pointing skyward –and they’ve won eight of nine.
Puig has belted a grand slam, a game-winning hit, stolen bases (he had two yesterday), nearly hit for the cycle (all he needed yesterday was a home run), nearly thrown out a runner at first from right field (some day he will) and been beaned, igniting a brawl. He’s baseball’s antidote to the dog days of summer. To quote the band Smashmouth, “Hey now, you’re an All-Star/Get your game on, go play.”
If Puig isn’t suiting up for the Midsummer Classic at Citi Field, baseball is off its (John) rocker.
3. Fred? It’s Portuguese for “Goooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaal!”
Fred, exhibiting classic “Shoot While On All Fours” form
Brazil, the nation that gave us soccer stars with four-word child-friendly names such as “Didi”, “Zico, “Kaka” and, of course, “Pele”, now has two more for you to familiarize yourself for next summer’s World Cup: “Fred” and “Hulk”. Fred, alias Frederico Chaves Guedes, scored an incredible goal just 97 seconds into yesterday’s Confederations Cup final in Rio de Janiero (I was watching it “en vivo”) in which Brazil overwhelmed reigning World Cup champ Spain, 3-0. Both of Fred’s hands were on the ground and he was nearly lying flat when he struck the ball with his right foot from just a few feet away.
Then there’s Hulk, alias Givanildo Vieira de Souza, whose sobriquet is quite obvious as soon as you get a good look at him.
Brazil will not wear purple cut-offs at next summer’s World Cup, in case you were wondering.
A Selecao, five-time champions of the World Cup, will be hosting next year’s event. Get ready to watch these two and budding star Neymar, who also scored a goal yesterday.
4. The Great Wal-Mart of China?
Just how big is the New Century Global Center, which officially opens today in Chengdu, China? The edifice is large enough, at 100 meters high, 500 meters long and 400 meters wide, to fit 20 Sydney Opera Houses within. Or it could house three of the Pentagon. It is even larger than — are you sitting down? — Oprah Winfrey’s home.
You stay in your wing, Steadman, and I’ll stay in mine.
While not the world’s tallest building, it is the world’s largest. And what’s inside, you ask? Offices, hotesl, an IMAX cinema (of course), a Mediterranean village, a skating rink, a pirate ship and a 5,000-square meter artificial beach.
China creates the Great Indoors
Surprised? Remember, this is the same culture that once built a series of walls more than 5,500 miles in length, the only man-made structure that is visible from outer space.
5. K(I)A
In Las Vegas a performer for Cirque de Soleil falls 50 feet to her death during the finale of the show “Ka.” Sarah Guyard, 31, was being hoisted up the side of the stage and appeared to slip from her safety wire. A mother of two, Guyard, nicknamed “Sassoon” had performed in this show at the MGM Grand since 2006. Cirque de Soleil had never suffered a fatality during any of its performances in its 30-year history. If you’re keeping score, gravity wins again.