The DAILY BEAST goes 'Inside the Secret World of Arab Playboys'

Tom Sykes writes,

The royal family of the oil-rich emirate will no doubt be hoping that the conclusion of the mourning period will bring down the curtain. For many years speculation ran rampant that the charming and glamorous Prince Rashid, who lived a glittering life amply accessorized with racehorses, fast cars, and beautiful women, was a persistent drug abuser and sex addict.

In the UAE, the prince’s death has been greeted with hagiographic official obituaries.

In the West, however, the demise of Rashid has cast a rare beam of light on the secret world of the Arab playboys who flock every summer to escape the intense heat of the Middle East, and spend vast amounts of money on Western debaucheries.

The alleged behavior of some of these Arab princelings was highlighted again on Friday, after Majed Abdulaziz Al-Saud was reportedly accused of attempting toforce an employee to give him oral sex, before more reports of him sexually accosting five women surfaced.

The DAILY BEAST goes 'Inside the Secret World of Arab Playboys'

On Monday, after a group of Egyptian and foreign archaeologists examined the famous tomb of King Tut, Egypt’s antiquities minister confirmed that they found evidence suggesting the existence of two previously undiscovered rooms. “This indicates that the western and northern walls of Tutankhamun’s tomb could hide two burial chambers,” minister Mamdouh Eldamaty told the Egyptian state press.

Lots more secrets to be found.. Exciting times.

On Monday, after a group of Egyptian and foreign archaeologists examined the famous tomb of King Tut, Egypt’s antiquities minister confirmed that they found evidence suggesting the existence of two previously undiscovered rooms.  “This indicates that the western and northern walls of Tutankhamun’s tomb could hide two burial chambers,” minister Mamdouh Eldamaty told the Egyptian state press.

The Number of Drones Expected to Sell During the Holiday Seasons is Scaring the Government

Perhaps malls can make a comeback if they open drone stories..

According to the FAA, 1 million more drones will be in the sky with Santa Claus this year..

The Number of Drones Expected to Sell During the Holiday Seasons is Scaring the Government

The latest NHC model..

The cone of impact zone is starting to move West..

This model for Hurricane Joaquin gives me pause. If this happens, it will be around Sunday/Monday.. this would mean intense winds and flooding rains..

Sandy happened in October as well. 

No one in the Northeast wants another Sandy for the rest of our lives.

'The Suicide': The Hotel Cecil and the Mean Streets of L.A.'s Notorious Skid Row

You may know the name of the Cecil because of Elisa Lam–we talked about her before on Coal Speaker and you’ve surely seen ‘strange case’ descriptions about the incident involving her stay at the Cecil a few years back http://coalspeaker.com/post/64769040500/the-strange-behavior-of-elisa-lam.

CNN  also did an article in 2013 after Lam was found in the hotel water tank..

But the Cecil is famous for lots of other bad bad things, too..
This article describes it perfectly and succinctly. 

It is a very dark and grim history.

AMERICAN HORROR STORY this year is taking a hotel approach.. the inspiration being the Cecil.

'The Suicide': The Hotel Cecil and the Mean Streets of L.A.'s Notorious Skid Row

Bears watching.. All of the current models for Joaquin on one map..

Edward Snowden is now officially on Twitter. He only follows one other ..the NSA

Even MORE reasons to pay attention to the weather this week if you’re along the east coast..

Tyler Cowen: Be suspicious of simple stories

Good vs evil.
It’s not that simple..
This is a good Ted Talk

Tyler Cowen: Be suspicious of simple stories

Even more reasons to pay attention to the weather this week..

Paxil for Teen Depression Prescribed on Misrepresented Results

Researchers didn’t report side effects.

Which included suicide.

Paxil for Teen Depression Prescribed on Misrepresented Results

Philadelphia Chef dishes criticism on Philadelphia: On Papal Visit: 'Didn’t Need To Close Every Street, Scaring Most People'

Now that the Pope is back in Rome, we need to take a good hard look in the mirror and wonder if the security nightmare was imposed on us or created

In Philadelphia, that look has begun

One Philadelphia chef took to Facebook to share how he felt about the planning of the massive event.

Marc Vetri writes, “We’re clearly all thrilled that Pope Francis is here. Never has there been a Pope in history that people have such admiration for while having such a gentle voice that transcends all religions and all walks of life. I can say that I was thrilled that the Pope has chosen Philadelphia to spread his message…and I remain thrilled.

My only regret is the decisions of Philadelphia leaders. Instead of engaging the citizens and businesses around this great city in welcoming the Pope, they have instead decided to roll out the red carpet for everyone making the pilgrimage, and roll us up in the carpet to place in storage until Monday. I imagine a man like this Pope would like to see Philadelphia as is. We are the fabric of this city yet it seems as if the people that make this city great were by in large… an afterthought.”

Philadelphia Chef dishes criticism on Philadelphia:  On Papal Visit: 'Didn’t Need To Close Every Street, Scaring Most People'

Former Pro Wrestler Arrested in Carbon County PA

Former Pro Wrestler Arrested in Carbon County PA

Trevor Noah begins his DAILY SHOW career..

A few samplings of thoughts online:

THE WASHINGTON POST:  

There’s no way to judge a brand new “Daily Show” on the strength or weakness of a single episode, especially since we’re talking about 20 minutes of material (subtract all of the commercials for “The Walk”). But after watching new host Trevor Noah’s seemingly smooth debut Monday night, I just have to ask: What were we all so afraid of?

VARIETY: It all felt like vintage “Daily Show” material, with most of the initial changes appearing to be cosmetic, from a new font to not bleeping certain expletives. As for Noah’s skills as an interviewer, Kevin Hart, frankly, wasn’t the ideal guest to offer much insight regarding those chops, yielding an exchange that was loud and manic, much like the comic’s act. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is slated for Wednesday, which should offer a better sense of the new host in that regard.

DAILY BEAST: Trevor Noah’s Crude, Clumsy ‘Daily Show’ Debut: The man replacing Jon Stewart as host of Comedy Central’s ‘The Daily Show’ opted for curses and dick jokes over keen observational humor in his first outing.

ABC NEWS: The Shocking Dangers of High School Football // MORE: New Jersey high school star quarterback Evan Murray died of an abdominal hemorrhage caused by a lacerated spleen.

And this reporting from FOX NEWS on the subject:

A star New Jersey high school quarterback who collapsed and died after receiving a heavy hit during a Friday night football game was a victim of internal bleeding caused by a ruptured spleen, an autopsy revealed Monday.

Morris County Medical Examiner Ronald Suarez noted in his autopsy reported that Evan Murray had an abnormally large spleen which was more susceptible to injury, according to NJ.com. Suarez also determined there was no evidence of head trauma or heart disease and ruled Murray’s death an accident.

Murray, 17, had walked off the field with the help of some Warren Hills Regional High School teammates after taking a hit in the backfield. A short time later, the three-sport athlete collapsed on the sidelines.

ABC NEWS: The Shocking Dangers of High School Football // MORE: New Jersey high school star quarterback Evan Murray died of an abdominal hemorrhage caused by a lacerated spleen.

ISIS cracks down on school playgrounds to enforce gender separation of parents – report

Reporting from RT: 

The Islamic State morality police Hesbah targeted playgrounds in the city of Mayadin in the eastern Deir ez-Zor province, local sources told the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Several men and women were arrested by ISIS gunmen “for not abiding by Islamic rules on dress.”

A similar crackdown on playgrounds was reported in the ISIS Syrian stronghold of Raqqa, where three women were arrested for not being accompanied by men.

ISIS cracks down on school playgrounds to enforce gender separation of parents – report

BATTLE OF THE NATIONS: PUTIN VS OBAMA AT THE UN OVER SYRIA // World leaders including Barack Obama, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Raul Castro and Robert Mugabe speak at 70th UN General Assembly in New York

BATTLE OF THE NATIONS: PUTIN VS OBAMA AT THE UN OVER SYRIA // World leaders including Barack Obama, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Raul Castro and Robert Mugabe speak at 70th UN General Assembly in New York

Water+Mars=?

This was the mathish problem I asked last night on my personal Facebook page.. the answers I received were humorous.. But it showcased that the underbelly of humanity yesterday was excited by the prospect that we found water on Mars–water that is flowing. 

The choice answers included ice cream, ‘humans,’ aliens, and my favorite, ‘how we got here.’ 

How we got here..
That has been the long thought inside my own head..

It’s unbelievable to think of how much changed since my grade school years formed my view of the universe–a view challenged by time and discovery. At that time, Mars was barren and desolate. It was only after hearing Richard C. Hoagland tell Art Bell during the 1990s version of Coast to Coast AM that water flowed on Mars that I actually started to contemplate the idea of liquid on the red planet. . 

Perhaps that is also why the announcement yesterday wasn’t too surprising to me. 
Water on Mars.
The tin foil hat club has known this for years..

I have a few people I chalk up as friends who take the Bible very literally. I have some spirited discussions with them about my viewpoint on that. But for them, the Bible is gold. It’s the word of God and it’s historical in nature.. So playing the devil in the devil’s advocate setup, I often ask them if they would find it reasonable to conclude that Noah’s Ark was a spaceship and the flood actually happened on Mars, the spaceship traveled to earth to escape. LAUGHABLE, they tell me–of course I remind them that their position also could incur as many chuckles as another. 

I think now that water has been found, I’m going to tell them it backs up my premise of the NOAH spaceship idea.. Water on Mars. The leftovers of the great flood that ended Mars-humanity.

Of course.. I’m being tongue in cheek.
or am I..?

This week: Keep a watchful eye on tropical depression11… It may have land in its sights..