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Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Jul 6, 2012
July 6, 2012
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The Weather:
Two stats of note to drive home just how hot it's been and continues to be:
--Parched earth: Drought conditions now exist in 56 percent of the continental U-S, the biggest percentage in the 12 years that records have been kept by the weekly Drought Monitor. The heat already is taking a toll on crops.
--Record heat: Across the U-S, more than three-thousand temperature records were broken from June 28 through yesterday. They include record highs and maximum lows. For example: St. Louis hit a high of 105 on July Fourth. In Chicago yesterday: 103. (Maiman)Dining out:
That famous WOLFGANG PUCK restaurant, Spago, is closing Sunday, on Puck's 63rd birthday.
No, it's coming back, but Wolfgang tells the Hollywood Reporter he's closing it down after 30 years for remodeling and a redesign that will keep it relevant.
The plan --to strip off the original decor dreamed up by his ex-wife, BARBARA, and in it's place, a "classic modern look" with a "transformed menu."
When it comes back, in a month or two, will you still be able to get the signature "Jewish pizza" with smoked salmon, crème fraiche, chives and caviar?
"Look, we are moving forward," Wolfgang says, "but if ...you want a smoked salmon pizza, we aren't going to say no."The Internet:
A new survey of almost 200 U.S. CEOs by Deloitte & Touche and Forbes magazine finds that 27 percent of CEOs predict social media will be an area of growing risk in coming years. That would include a security risk (employees posting sensitive information about the company) and a public relations risk (dissatisfied customers or advocacy groups going after the company or its brands). (Kaye)
Stars and their movies:
TOM CRUISE is the world's best-paid actor.
Forbes magazine, which released its list of highest-paid actresses a couple of weeks ago, has now doen the same for actors, and Tom sits atop the list, making $85 million last year.
Tied for second place --LEONARDO DiCAPRIO and ADAM SANDLER, who each rocked a $37-million dollar wallet. The rest of the top-10:
10. (tie) Taylor Lautner, Robert Pattinson; $26.5 million
9. Mark Wahlberg, $27 million
6. (tie) Sacha Baron Cohen, Johnny Depp, Will Smith; $30 million
5. Ben Stiller, $33 million
4. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, $36 million
2. (tie) Leonardo DiCaprio and Adam Sandler; $37 million
1. Tom Cruise, $85 millionSurvivor: real life:
A Russian BASE jumper is lucky to be alive after his parachute failed to open.
Orange.co.uk says the 20-something daredevil jumped off a 400-foot pylon while a friend shot video (here). But, his parachute didn't fully open and a thud can be heard as he hits the ground. Then, snow can be seen rising from the impact. Somehow, the man survived the fall. But, doctors say he fractured his vertebrae, pelvis and legs. He is expected to walk again after a three-month recovery period. (Still)Designer Update:
CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN unveiled his red-soled version of Cinderella's iconic glass slippers in Paris on Wednesday. The fairy-tale-come-true shoes were officially commissioned by Disney to celebrate the release of its "Cinderella" movie later this year. Women's Wear Daily says Louboutin opted out of using actual glass because "they would never have survived Parisian cobblestones, not to mention the blister nightmare." The shoes' mini-platformed lace heels are covered in Swarovski crystals. (Bartha)
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