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Teenage brains are drawn to popular social media challenges – here’s how parents can get their kids to think twice

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:12:20 GMT

(The Conversation) - Viral social media trends started innocently enough.In the early 2010s there was planking, the “Harlem Shake” dance and lip syncing to Carly Rae Jepsen’s summer anthem “Call Me Maybe.”Then came the ice bucket challenge, which raised an estimated $115 million for ALS research.In recent years, social media challenges have grown more popular – and more dangerous, leading to serious injuries and even deaths. It’s not hard to see why. The milk crate challenge dares people to walk or run across a loosely stacked pyramid of milk crates, the Tide pod challenge involves eating laundry detergent pods, and the Benadryl challenge encourages taking six or more doses of over-the-counter allergy medication all at once.As clinical psychology researchers, we study why social media challenges are so appealing to teens despite the dangers they pose, and steps parents can take to protect their kids.Appeal of viral stuntsAlmost all American teens today ...

Texas AG opinion questions Project Connect funding

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:12:20 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an opinion Saturday morning related to Project Connect, Austin's multi-billion dollar plan to expand public transportation. The opinion comes after an inquiry from Texas Senator Paul Bettencourt. The opinion highlights two potential issues. One relates debt and tax structure. It points to the city's intention to use the maintenance and operation tax to pay down debt. The attorney general concluded that the Texas tax code "does not authorize a municipality to “earmark” use of a voter-approved increase in its maintenance and operation property tax revenue for debt service." Another issue the legal opinion raises is related to how the Austin Transit Partnership, the agency set up to implement Project Connect, is funded by the tax. The opinion found, if brought to a court, a court would likely conclude that since the tax structure is not subject to an annual appropriation, it is prohibited by Article XI, Section 5 of the Texas Con...

Woman dies one month after being struck by car in north St. Louis

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:12:20 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A woman died from injuries nearly one month after she was struck by a car in north St. Louis, according to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. SLMPD identified Angela Brown, 65, as the victim on Saturday. Police say she died from her injuries on May 16. New top prosecutor leaves high-powered law firm for public service The collision happened on April 19 in the 2800 block of North Florissant Avenue in the Old North St. Louis neighborhood. Investigators say the woman was walking along the westbound lanes of the street when she was struck by a driver. Police say the driver remained at the scene after the crash and has been cooperating with the investigation. Authorities have not disclosed whether the incident might lead to criminal charges.

Missouri, other states could require patients to give consent for medical students performing pelvic exams

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:12:20 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A new batch of states are looking to legislate the level of informed consent when it comes to medical students performing pelvic exams for educational purposes on unconscious patients.At least 20 states already have consent laws for this practice. Montana’s governor signed a bill in April, Missouri has legislation that needs the governor’s signature to become law and Ohio lawmakers are also considering it.Colorado lawmakers want to go a step further, with Democratic Gov. Jared Polis expected to sign a bill that one bioethicist calls the broadest she’s seen — and says may go too far — due to a requirement of naming the involved students ahead of time and introducing them to the patients. Trending -- Glenn Zimmerman’s long-range summer 2023 forecast Proponents “see the Colorado bill as a model we hope other states will pass,” said Elizabeth Newman, public policy director at the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault, which testified in favor of the legislati...

Rockies Journal: Was Dick Monfort right about the big-spending Padres?

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:12:20 GMT

Can money buy happiness in Major League Baseball? It sure doesn’t look like it in 2023.Memorial Day, the first major milepost of the season, is fast approaching and the big spenders are treading water, or, in the case of the Padres, drowning in a sea of mega-salaries and disappointment.That leads to the question: Was Rockies owner Dick Monfort right? More on that in a moment.According to Spotrac, the Mets have the largest total payroll in the majors at $346.9 million. They entered Saturday with a 23-23 record and in third place behind the Braves (28-16) and the Marlins (23-22) in the National League East. It took a recent hot streak to get the Mets back to .500.The floundering Phillies (20-24) are fourth in the NL East despite a $243.6 million payroll that is the fourth-highest in baseball.The Yankees have won nine of their past 12 games to improve to 27-20, but they’re still in third place in the tenacious AL East. The Yankees’ payroll is $280.2 million, second on...

Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic is on a triple-double warpath, but don’t overlook his defense vs. Anthony Davis

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:12:20 GMT

LOS ANGELES – The plodding traffic cone, otherwise known as Nikola Jokic’s defense, was conspicuously absent in Thursday’s Game 2 win over the Lakers.In fact, Jokic, who helped limit Lakers superstar Anthony Davis to just 4-for-15 shooting from the field after he scored 40 points in Game 1, was at the heart of Denver’s defensive effort with his swarming pick-and-roll effort and vacuum-style rebounding. Even if Davis overwhelmed in Game 1, limiting him every other game is a formula the Nuggets would gladly invite.As part of his fourth consecutive triple-double, Jokic snatched 17 rebounds and swiped three more steals in the win. Since narratives have overwhelmed the airspace ever since the Nuggets took a 2-0 lead in this Western Conference Finals, here’s one more to chew on: Jokic has more than held up defensively.Whatever you think of his admittedly limited leaping ability, he consistently disrupted offensive sequences through two games with his timely taps, quick hands and varied sc...

Two die in hit-and-run crash on U.S. Highway 287 north of Longmont

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:12:20 GMT

Two people died in a hit-and-run crash Friday on U.S. Highway 287 north of Longmont and investigators are asking for the public’s help in locating the driver who fled.The crash happened around 5 p.m. and road rage is suspected in the four-vehicle incident, according to the Colorado State Patrol.Witnesses told investigators that drivers of two vehicles, a dark red or maroon pickup truck and a Chevrolet Camaro, were possibly road-raging prior to the crash, the CSP said.The pickup truck collided with the left side of the Camaro, spinning the coupe into oncoming traffic where it was hit on the passenger side by a northbound Toyota Tundra. Two people in the Camaro died at the scene. The driver of the Tundra was seriously injured and taken to a hospital. The driver of the maroon pickup truck fled.Anyone with information on the crash, or on the suspect driver, is asked to call the state patrol at 303-239-4501. 

L.A. nonprofit hosts 5k to raise funds for clean water

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:12:20 GMT

Supporters gathered for the Run4Water 5k event Saturday morning in San Clemente to help raise money for families in Uganda to have clean water. Each day women and children in parts of Africa walk more than a kilometer, equivalent to about a half a mile, for clean water. Hosted by the Wells of Life non-profit organization, the Run4Water event, taking place at Vista Hermosa Sports Park, aims to raise funding and support to restore 40 wells for 40,000 people in Uganda. The event featured performances and celebrations, with 25 teams registered to participate. “We are so excited to have this opportunity for groups to get together and work collaboratively,” said Michelle Danly, co-emcee of Wells of Life’s Run4Water event. “We want them to be able to secure enough support so we could have 40,000 people served in the country of Uganda.” Wells of Life’s mission is to provide rural Ugandans access to safe, clean water through the installation or restoration of sustainable borehole w...

Sick New World: Vegas Embraces Inaugural Alternative and Nu-Metal Festival

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:12:20 GMT

Photo by Devon RaleighLas Vegas witnessed a storm of music and energy as the inaugural alternative and nu-metal festival, Sick New World, took over the city this past weekend. With an impressive lineup featuring iconic bands like System of a Down, KoRn, Deftones, Turnstile, and Incubus, the festival delivered an unforgettable experience to fans who braved scorching temperatures that reached triple digits. The Las Vegas Fairgrounds became a haven for music enthusiasts from all corners of the globe, making Sick New World an event to remember.A Day Filled with Intense Performances:In the blistering desert heat, fans flocked to the fairgrounds and filled every available space. By 3 PM, as Chevelle took the stage, tens of thousands of fans had already arrived, eager to immerse themselves in the festival’s atmosphere. The fairgrounds remained packed throughout the entire 12-hour event, with bands delivering electrifying performances one after another.Legends of the Genre Lead the Wa...

Bay to Breakers: Early BART trains, road closures planned for Sunday race

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:12:20 GMT

Before the 111th Bay to Breakers race returns to San Francisco Sunday, several Bay Area transit lines will run trains and ferries bright and early to help get participants — costumed and otherwise — to the starting line in time for the quirky fun run.Starting at 6:20 a.m. four BART trains will operate along select stations, each scheduled to arrive at the Embarcadero around 7 a.m.:16th Street Mission (6:54 a.m.)Bay Fair (6:37 a.m.)Daly City (6:44 a.m.)Dublin/Pleasanton (6:20 a.m.)El Cerrito del Notre (6:37 a.m.)MacArthur (6:45 a.m. and 6:51 a.m.)Millbrae (6:31 a.m.)Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre (6:25 a.m.)West Oakland (6:53 a.m., 6:56 a.m. and 6:59 a.m.)Regular Sunday BART service will begin at 8 a.m.CalTrain is running two special lines — Northbound Trains  601 and 603 — at select stations, starting at 6:02 a.m. at San Jose Diridon and 6:24 a.m. in Palo Alto.The Golden Gate Ferry will also offer two extra trips, departing from the Larkspur Terminal at 6:30 a.m. and ...