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Saturday 22 February 2020

Doctors Warn Viral 'Skull Breaker Challenge' Is Potentially 'Life-Threatening'

The latest manifestation of humanity’s willingness to risk self-harm for a chance at self-glorification is being roundly condemned by doctors even as it spreads across social media.

The “skull breaker challenge” has reached vast proportions on TikTok, according to Yahoo.

The stunt goes like this.

First, three participants line up. In many cases, the one in the middle does not know what is to come, though a cell phone or other camera is set up to record the event for posterity.

Then everybody jumps straight up.

To the glee of the ones on each end, they kick the feet out from under the one in the middle so that person lands on his or her head and back.

It was not all that funny to parent Valerie Hodson, who shared the outcome of the game on her Facebook page.

“On Wednesday my son was asked to do a jumping contest with his 2 ‘friends’, when he jumped up, the 2 boys kicked him, as hard as they could, so his legs flew out in front of him. He landed hard flat on his back and head, as he struggled to get up he lost consciousness, he fell forward landing on his face,” she wrote. “The school monitor ran to his side, all the while the 2 boys were snickering and laughing as his stiff unconscious body lay on the asphalt.”

“Fast forward at the hospital, he has a head injury, stiches in his face, severe cuts inside his mouth and 2 front teeth I have to keep on eye on. This apparently is a Tik Tok viral prank being filmed and gaining likes on social media.”

She added that her son “did not know this was going to happen. The boys in question he has known for quite sometime, so his trust of them was warrented. The premise of the prank is to get an unsuspecting individual to jump, so the pranksters can kick/trip the person to see how hard they fall.”

Parent Teri Wimmer Smith shared a similar story on her Facebook page.

He son was “unknowingly tiktok pranked which caused him to fall. We are sure broken arm but not sure how bad at the moment. Will keep everyone posted,” she wrote.

“Update: Two broken bones in wrist, surgery will have to be done, waiting on orthopedic now.”

“Parents teach your kids that this crap is dangerous,” she added.

Doctors say the stunt could be fatal in the wrong circumstances.

“The skull breaker challenge is an emerging prank being propagated on social media that results in forceful trauma to the head and neck area. It can be associated with a variety of serious and even life-threatening injuries including, but not limited to, bruising, hematoma, skull fracture, neck strain, neck fracture, concussion and long-term complications of concussion, bleeding in or around the brain, loss of consciousness, paralysis, and death,” Dr. Nathan Richards of the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center told Yahoo.

“Although it can seem like a harmless prank to children and adolescents, they should be educated on the potential serious consequences of doing the skull breaker challenge.”

Dr. Denise Klinkner of the Mayo Clinic Children’s Center in Rochester, Minnesota, said even being prepared for the stunt will not stave off injury.

“In spite of knowing this is the intent, the falling teen rapidly lands without blocking the fall, leading to at minimum a concussion,” she told Yahoo.

“If one is able, an outstretched hand to block the fall may lead to a broken wrist or arm.”

Dangerous stunts attract teens because of their “wow factor,” Sabrina Sykes, a Wexner Medical Center psychologist, wrote in a blog post.

WARNING: The video below contains images of stupid violence that some viewers may find disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.

“New online challenges routinely spring up and rapidly spread over social media, particularly among adolescents and young adults,” Sykes wrote.

“Social media, in turn, offers instant popularity among peers in the form of ‘likes’ and ‘followers,’ providing peer acceptance, buoying the teen’s self-concept and, therefore, enhancing the draw to participate in these challenges.”

Adolescents are particularly at risk, she wrote.

“The adolescent brain is still developing, with the reward system developing before the prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for planning, decision-making and managing impulses. This means teens are highly motivated to engage in socially rewarding behavior and gravitate toward thrill-seeking, without focusing on potential risks or consequences.”

“Teens also face peer pressure to take part, and they fear missing out. This fear of missing out (FOMO) is really a fear of not being connected to their social world. FOMO can be very powerful,” she added.

WATCH: Tucker Carlson Argues Roger Stone Judge Amy Berman Jackson ‘Deserves to be Impeached,’ Calls Her ‘Democratic Activist Wearing Robes’

Fox News host Tucker Carlson called for U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson to impeached for her handling of the Roger Stone trial during Thursday night’s episode of “Tucker Carlson Tonight.”

Carlson referred to the Obama-appointed judge as a “Democratic activist wearing robes.”

“Stone’s sentence was delivered by an Obama-appointed judge called Amy Berman Jackson,” Carlson said. “You often hear people say that our justice system has been infected by politics. Amy Berman Jackson is living proof that it has been. She’s an open partisan who has so flagrantly violated the bounds of Constitutional law and fairness that it’s shocking she’s still on the bench. If there’s anyone in Washington who deserves to be impeached, it’s Amy Berman Jackson.”

“If there’s anyone in Washington that deserves to be impeached, it’s Amy Berman Jackson,” he continued, noting her similarly harsh treatment of Rick Gates and Paul Manafort.

“Jackson wanted to punish Gates and Manafort before they were even convicted of anything, and she did. Ultimately she revoked Manafort’s bail and placed him in jail in solitary confinement. But Jackson reserved her real fury for Roger Stone,” claimed Carlson. “At sentencing today, she declared that Stone was ‘prosecuted for covering up for the president.’ Now, CNN let the claim pass without comment, but anybody who had been watching was baffled because that’s totally untrue.”

Carlson also blasted the judge for the gag-order she placed on Stone that many believe violated his First Amendment rights.

“The entire Democratic Party and their servants in the press can defame Stone at will, and they are relentlessly, but if Stone dares to express his own opinion, Amy Berman Jackson will send him to jail immediately,” said Carlson. “She’s banned him from speaking publicly about the case in any way. He can’t tweet or write on Facebook. No social media. He can’t do television, he can’t speak to reporters. He cannot even express himself indirectly. If Roger Stone asked a friend or family member to deliver a statement on his behalf, he would be violating Judge Jackson’s order.”

“What you’re watching is the capricious authoritarianism of a Democratic activist wearing robes. It’s terrifying,” he said.

Carlson called on President Trump to pardon Stone, asserting that “this farce must end.”

President Donald Trump Slams Never-Trump Fox News Anchor Neil Cavuto For ‘Very Bad Ratings’ and ‘Fake Guests’

President Donald Trump slammed Never-Trump Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto on Friday for his “very bad ratings” and “fake guests.”

In a tweet, President Trump slammed Cavuto’s guest A.B. Stoddard in particular and asked if he will receive the same treatment as his friend Shepherd Smith.

“So @TeamCavuto has very bad ratings on @foxnews with his Fake guests like A.B. Stoddard and others that still haven’t figured it all out,” Trump tweeted. “Will he get the same treatment as his friend Shepherd Smith, who also suffered from the ratings drought?”

So @TeamCavuto has very bad ratings on @foxnews with his Fake guests like A.B.Stoddard and others that still haven’t figured it all out. Will he get the same treatment as his friend Shepherd Smith, who also suffered from the ratings drought?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 21, 2020

Trump had also blasted Cavuto for his segment with Stoddard on Thursday, along with Paul Ryan.

“Could somebody at @foxnews please explain to Trump hater A.B. Stoddard (zero talent!) and @TeamCavuto, that I won every one of my debates, from beginning to end,” Trump said. “Check the polls taken immediately after the debates. The debates got me elected. Must be Fox Board Member Paul Ryan!”

The outrage at the Never-Trump side of Fox did not stop there, he also blasted them during his campaign stop in Colorado.

“They had a crazy person on today, on one of the Fox shows,” Trump said. “Fox doesn’t treat us the way they used to.”

Trump added that the shows that are positive towards him do much better than the ones that slam him.

“Their loser shows are the ones that don’t like Trump,” he continued, adding, “How’s Shep Smith doing by the way?”

Smith left the network in October after facing criticism for his clear disdain for the president.

Friday 21 February 2020

Thousands Urged To 'Self-Quarantine' Across America as Statistician Warns Numbers Don't Add Up

As health officials ask thousands to quarantine across the United States, a respected statistician is going public with dire claims that COVID-19 data doesn’t look right at all.

The American quarantines come as deadly coronavirus outbreaks have been reported in several other nations.

In California, where diseases already have an easy time moving around cities thanks to unsanitary conditions and a large homeless population, more than 5,400 people have been asked by the state health department to quarantine themselves.

In Washington state, over 700 are being monitored for possible coronavirus infections.

Georgia, Illinois, and New York are among other states with hundreds of potential cases being watched by officials.

This is a major increase in possible cases that comes after the administration of President Donald Trump ordered a historical quarantine to combat the novel coronavirus.

As we’ve seen in China and aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship, even strict quarantines may not be as effective as officials think.

One expert even warned that the “quarantine process failed” aboard the ship, fanning fears that the virus may have gone airborne or could be easily transmitted in some other way.

Despite COVID-19’s seemingly highly infectious nature, the Chinese government is reporting a slowdown of new infections. According to one statistician, the data that has been pouring out of the communist country doesn’t look right at all.

Melody Goodman, an associate biostatistics professor at New York University’s School of Global Public Health, told Barron’s about her reservations.

“I have never in my years seen an r-squared of 0.99,” she said, referring to an analysis of Chinese numbers. “As a statistician, it makes me question the data.”

The r-squared value deals with the correlation and predictability of data. The closer the value is to 1, the more predictable a particular set of data becomes. With something as inherently unpredictable as a virus, Goodman said .7 would be more realistic — and even that would be “really good.”

“Anything like 0.99 would make me think that someone is simulating data,” Goodman said. “It would mean you already know what is going to happen.”

China, a newly industrialized country that is now the biggest cog in the global economy’s supply chain, risks losing everything if the novel coronavirus keeps factory floors shuttered.

While Chinese propaganda mouthpieces assure the world that the government has everything under control, extreme measures caught on video hint that the ruling communist party is desperate to maintain control.

Numerous videos like the one below have surfaced, showing Chinese officials in protective gear rounding up citizens who are seemingly infected with COVID-19.

With new countries coming forward confirming cases of infected and experts casting doubt on China’s claims about the virus, it looks like we have yet to see how bad this outbreak really is.

Trump Campaign Press Sec Rips 2020 Dems: 'The Party of Lincoln Will Defeat the Party of Lenin'

The Trump campaign’s national press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, told The Western Journal in an exclusive interview that President Donald Trump is prepared to litigate “the case against socialism” if the Democratic Party chooses democratic socialist candidate Bernie Sanders as its nominee.

McEnany added American voters are “not on board with socialism,” which is supported by a recent Marist poll.

Bernie Sanders has seen high support ratings during the Democratic primary, leading some to believe that he may win the candidacy that he so desperately tried — and failed — to win in 2016.

According to a recent Marist poll, however, only 28 percent of Americans across the country have a favorable view of socialism. Fifty-eight percent do not.

Pollsters questioned 1,416 adults in the contiguous United States, a large majority of whom were registered voters. The poll was conducted in partnership with NPR and PBS NewsHour and has a 3.3 percent margin of error.

So how is Sanders gaining so much attention in the Democratic primary race?

The poll determined that within the Democratic Party 50 percent have a favorable view of socialism while 33 percent do not.

The difference between national and Democratic approval of socialism is notable and may be of concern if the Democratic Party chooses a socialist candidate to run against Trump.

McEnany believes that if that does happen, however, the president will be able to present a compelling case against socialism.

“President Trump will be on the other side [of the stage] litigating the case against socialism,” she told The Western Journal during Wednesday night’s rally in Phoenix. “No one can do that more effectively than President Trump.

“And when that case is litigated, I can tell you this: The party of Lincoln will defeat the party of Lenin if that’s the route they choose to go down.”

She also warned voters not to underestimate former Vice President Joe Biden’s presence in the race, even though many outlets have reported his declining support.

Since South Carolina, seen as a potential “firewall” for Biden, has not yet held its primary, McEnany believes the former VP isn’t out of the race just yet, although recent polls may suggest otherwise.

“The media has written this narrative that Joe Biden’s out, but I would watch out for Joe Biden,” she said. “I would note to our voters that disastrous Joe Biden can make a comeback.”

McEnany also addressed former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s rapid rise in the primary race, which many have attributed to his deep pocketbooks rather than his voter approval.

“The numbers speak for themselves,” McEnany said. “He spent something like $340 million on advertising, giving money to entities to try to incur more support from them as he was gearing up for this presidential bid.

“He’s trying to buy the presidency; it doesn’t work that way. He’s got a lot of billions, but not a lot of voters.”

Despite the left’s extensive attempts to turn people against the president, McEnany believes Trump’s support has only continued to grow since the impeachment process.

Instead of sparking disagreement with the president, the impeachment trial has sparked an increase in enthusiasm for the president, according to McEnany.

“Nancy Pelosi has managed to send a lightning rod through our base,” she said. “They are more energized than ever before. They are more motivated to support the president.”

In New Jersey, in which 55 percent of voters voted for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016, according to Politico, McEnany said she saw “thousands” camping outside at 2 a.m. the morning of a rally in January.

“That should scare every Democrat out there,” she said. “Something’s going on in this country. America’s taken notice of their obstruction.”

McEnany also predicted the GOP’s chance of taking the House in 2020 is “very good,” again pointing to the impeachment trial.

“Nancy Pelosi’s made it even easier with her impeachment effort. It’s backfired magnificently,” she said. “We saw the president hit 50 percent support in the Rasmussen poll. He’s tied with his all-time high approval rating in the RCP average.

“So President Trump has really lifted the prospect of Republicans on tickets down the ballot and across the country.”