Entertainment
Kids Today Don't Understand Every Millennial's Greatest Fear
By Jonathan Klotz
| Published
In the age of social media, generational gaps have never been more pronounced, from thinking of Jim Carrey as Ace Ventura, The Grinch, or Dr. Robotnik to “When you hear the name Rizzo, who do you think of?” It’s the same with quicksand: once a constant fear among Gen X and millennials, it’s nowhere to be found today.
For decades, especially during the 80s, Movies and TV shows would toss in a quicksand segment as if it were the most common way to die in the jungle, the desert, or the Swamp of Sadness (a bog is wet quicksand). Did Hollywood realize nothing could top The Princess Bride?
Quicksand Terrified Suburban Kids
Quicksand has been in movies since the beginning. It was a cheap special effect that typically involved a star kneeling in mud. The threat of a slow, agonizing death by way of suffocation added a built-in clock to the scene; after all, we can see them sink lower and lower into the ground. Water, dirt, and room to kneel are all you need to add a terrifying sequence to any western or jungle adventure.
One of the most memorable quicksand scenes is found in 1962’s Lawrence of Arabia. While a sandstorm is starting to engulf the desert, a young boy stumbles into quicksand, and our heroes run over to attempt a rescue using a strip of cloth. It’s a short scene, which makes it all the more terrifying when the boy can’t hold on and is sucked under the sand, never to be seen again. This is the scene that filmmakers spent years trying to emulate to add tension to their films.
The 60s were filled with quicksand, and when those kids grew up and started working in Hollywood, they brought their childhood fear and fascination of quicksand with them. By then, Blazing Saddles had already parodied the trope and few serious films were using it, but that didn’t matter, because the biggest fantasy and sci-fi films of the 80s: Krull, Beastmaster, The Princess Bride, The Neverending Story, Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, even Enemy Mine tossed one in.
That’s not counting the cartoons of the 80s, which feel contractually obligated to include quicksand. G.I. Joe has some of the worst (or best) scenes, thanks to butterscotch quicksand that looks more like water (this is why Rick and Morty included a sign with the quicksand gun). For some reason, Cobra Commander getting stuck wasn’t the end of the trope; it appeared in the 90s in an episode of Baywatch.
Real Quicksand Is Annoying But Not Deadly
Oddly, it’s Baywatch that’s close to how quicksand is commonly found out in the real world – sinkholes. A guy is messing around on the beach, partially buried, when the tide starts coming in, and he realizes he can’t get up because of the water coming in from underneath. It doesn’t create a suction effect; rather, the liquid and solid sand mix together, alternating between being solid and porous enough that any bit of pressure causes them to part. Hence, the sinking, and why the best advice when stuck in quicksand is to remain calm and keep movements to the absolute minimum.
There’s something terrifying about the thought of being stuck in quicksand, unable to move, as any action on your part will only hasten your own death. It sounds like it would be great for a horror movie, except that real quicksand, which again, doesn’t have its own suction, is more of an annoyance than a deathtrap. Your knee might be dislocated from having to pull it out, but you won’t go low enough to drown, and it’s usually narrow enough that you can reach an edge and apply the bit of leverage needed to walk out. That’s where the generational gap comes in, because the science is clear and the reality of quicksand isn’t terrifying at all, but if you’re a millennial or Gen X, you can’t shake that feeling in the back of your head that there’s nothing more terrifying.
The use of quicksand in Hollywood has dropped to the point that kids today have no fear of the extreme danger that quicksand poses in their everyday lives. If they ever wander off into the desert or try to navigate the jungle, they won’t be prepared. Not like millennials, we’ve trained our whole lives for this moment, we’ve had countless nightmares about quicksand, and we’ll know exactly what to do to survive.
Lift your knee, step out.
Entertainment
400K MagSafe power banks recalled after fatal fire, the 10th power bank recall in a year
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Casely reannounced a power bank recall this April after a fire linked to the device fatally injured a user. This is the tenth power bank recall in the United States in the last 12 months, and Anker recalled 1.5 million power banks in 2025.
The recall affects an estimated 429,200 Casely 5,000-mAh MagSafe Power Pods (Model E33A), which were originally recalled in 2025. The MagSafe power banks need to be completely replaced.
Back of Casely power banks.
Credit: CPSC
Affected customers should stop using the portable power banks immediately. They can also contact Casely to receive a free replacement.
“The recalled lithium-ion battery in the power banks can overheat and ignite, posing risk of serious injury or death from fire and burn hazards to consumers,” the CPSC stated on its recall website.
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The Brooklyn-based company is reannouncing the recall after receiving 51 reports of the lithium-ion battery overheating, expanding, and/or catching fire while charging smartphones, “resulting in six minor burn injuries.”
However, in the past year, the CPSC says 28 more reports have been made, including explosions that caused a serious accident on an airplane and one death.
In August 2024, a 75-year-old woman from New Jersey, was charging her cell phone with the power bank on her lap when it caught on fire and exploded. The victim suffered second and third degree burns and later passed away from complications from her injuries. In February 2026, a 47-year-old woman was charging her cell phone with the power bank on an airplane when it caught on fire and exploded, resulting in the victim suffering first degree burns.
How to check your Casely Power Pod
Worried you may own one of the 429,000 recalled power banks? It’s easy to check if your device is included in the recall.
On the back of the device, look for the device’s model number, as show in a picture provided by the CPSC. If the model number reads “E33A,” then stop using the device immediately.
Look for the model number.
Credit: CPSC
More information on requesting a replacement power bank is available on the CPSC and Casely recall websites.
Entertainment
The new Dyson Supersonic Travel is the cheapest Supersonic yet
Table of Contents
Nearly three years ago, I asked if the (then) $429 Dyson Supersonic was still worth the price of entry.
These days, with the Supersonic line having expanded, the standard model having increased in price to $449.99, and the most expensive version of the hair dryer topping out at $549.99, it’s a question that feels even more apt.
The good news? If you’re not super into the idea of spending about $500 for a hair dryer, Dyson just announced the Dyson Supersonic Travel, a $299.99 model of its famous hair tool. In addition to its lower price point, it comes with more travel-friendly proportions and features.
As someone who’s personally tested Supersonics (and their many dupes), I took a closer look at the latest Dyson beauty launch to gather everything you need to know.
The design differences of the Dyson Supersonic Travel
In short, the Supersonic Travel is the standard Supersonic but smaller. According to Dyson, that comes out to exactly 32 percent smaller and 25 percent lighter than the OG Supersonic. In other words, it’s 0.7 pounds to the standard Supersonic’s 1.8 pounds, and 8.7 inches tall to the larger model’s 10 inches.
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This model also comes with one attachment, the styling concentrator, a la the now-discontinued Dyson Supersonic Origin (which ran for $399.99). For comparison, the $449.99 Supersonic comes with three attachments: a styling concentrator, diffuser, and wide-tooth comb. For all five attachments, you’ll have to shell out $549.99.
The Supersonic Travel is compatible with all original and Supersonic Nural attachments.
Credit: Dyson
The same attachments can be used between the Travel, original, and Supersonic Nural dryers. This means opting for the Travel could technically save you some money — individual attachments range from $19.99 to $44.99. If you only use a styling concentrator and diffuser, for instance, the total cost of a Travel dryer with the extra attachment purchase would come out to $344.98, making it still over $100 cheaper than the three-attachment original Supersonic.
The Supersonic Travel is more versatile in some ways, and less so in others
Functionality-wise, the Supersonic Travel is a slightly different product from the other Supersonics in the line. It has anywhere from 1,000 to 1,220 watts of power and an airflow speed of 11.6 liters per second, compared to the 1,600 watts and 13.3 liters per second of the standard Supersonic. In other words, the bigger dryer is slightly more powerful, so it wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect longer dry times.
The standard Supersonic and Supersonic Nural also feature four heats and three air speeds, where the Supersonic Travel features three heats and two air speeds.
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That said, the Supersonic Travel has universal voltage compatibility, so it can be used from 100 to 240 volts, whereas the other Supersonics are locked into 120 volt compatibility.
In terms of its portability, it’s also worth noting the Supersonic Travel weighs the same as the Supersonic r, a professional grade hair dryer (priced as such at $549.99) that’s become more popular due in part to being lightweight and easy to maneuver.
Where to buy the Dyson Supersonic Travel
The Dyson Supersonic Travel is available for $299.99 at Dyson’s website, Amazon, and Best Buy. If you buy at the former, you will receive a complimentary $59.99 travel bag along with the hair dryer.
Entertainment
The gorgeous yet budget-friendly Samsung QN70F Neo QLED TV is the cheapest its ever been
SAVE $300: As of April 21, you can get the Samsung 55-inch QN70F Neo QLED 4K TV for only $597.99 instead of $897.99 at Amazon. That’s 33% in savings and the lowest price on record.
$597.99
at Amazon
$897.99
Save $300
We’re in peak sports season, y’all. Besides the action of the Stanley Cup playoffs and NBA playoffs, there’s a fresh MLB season taking shape. If your TV is looking dull or lagging, it’s a prime time to upgrade — especially since you can find some epic deals on 2025 models.
As of April 21, the Samsung 55-inch QN70F Neo QLED 4K TV is on sale at Amazon for only $597.99. That’s 33% or $300 off its current list price, as well as its lowest price to date.
As Mashable’s TV expert Leah Stodart explains, “Neo QLED is really just Samsung’s proprietary term for QLED paired with Mini LED.” So, the QN70F features a panel of quantum dots over a bunch of tiny LED bulbs instead of a basic LED panel. The result? A stunning display with impressive color accuracy, deep blacks, and spectacular contrast. All the little details will look good no matter the lighting conditions in your room.
This TV uses an NQ4 AI Gen2 processor to upscale content and enhance the quality of anything you’re watching. So even those old episodes of Friends will look more impressive on the QN70F. And thanks to a 144Hz variable refresh rate, gaming and sports will look noticeably smoother and less laggy than your old set.
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If an upgrade is in order, but you don’t want to spend a ton of money, the Samsung QN70F Neo QLED 4K TV is an excellent value at full price. At $300 off, it’s a steal.
400K MagSafe power banks recalled after fatal fire, the 10th power bank recall in a year
The new Dyson Supersonic Travel is the cheapest Supersonic yet
