Narcissism study finds boomers are more ‘hypersensitive’ than millennials

Narcissism study finds boomers are more 'hypersensitive' than millennials

Baby boomers were the real snowflakes all along.

A study published on Dec. 10 in Psychology and Aging found that although individuals tend to become less sensitive as they age, overall, millennials were less sensitive than baby boomers. It’s the largest recorded study on narcissism ever conducted, Insider reports, with a study group of nearly 750 people. 

Individuals with narcissistic personality disorder have an “inflated sense of self-importance” and a “sense of entitlement,” according to Mayo Clinic. Other traits include arrogance and an unwillingness to “recognize the needs and feelings of others.” For this study, researchers interviewed people between 13 and 77 years old about their work and personal lives.  Read more…

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Not even J.J. Abrams can make a re-release of the original ‘Star Wars’ cuts happen

Not even J.J. Abrams can make a re-release of the original 'Star Wars' cuts happen

If you thought that maybe with Disney’s 2012 purchase of Lucasfilm, or its 2019 purchase of 21st Century Fox, or the launch of Disney+ we’d finally get a new release of the de-specialized versions of the original Star Wars trilogy, we’ve got bad news. 

In an interview promoting the upcoming Rise of Skywalker, Abrams told Now This that, actually, he has asked Disney about getting those versions of the films back into wider circulation beyond old VHS copies. 

Disney said no. 

With the Maclunkey debacle as a prompt, Abrams said that of course he would love to see the original theatrical versions of George Lucas’ original trilogy released commercially again.  Read more…

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The Baby Yoda races didn’t go well, but at least they’re cute

The Baby Yoda races didn't go well, but at least they're cute

Baby Yoda has officially gone to the locals, but at least it’s still cute. 

A horde of infants dressed as the internet’s sweetheart lined up at a Sacramento Kings NBA game on Friday for what could have been a riveting race for the Best Baby Yoda. About a dozen Yoda hat-wearing babies waited at the starting line. Wriggling in their parents’ arms, the Baby Yoda racers seemed amped up and ready to win. 

But when their parents finally set them free, most of the Baby Yoda racers were fine with just laying down. Despite coaxing from the finish line, the race started with zero contestants getting past the start. One took a few hesitant steps before falling down, and another broke down into sobs.  Read more…

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‘Frozen 2’ is now Disney’s sixth billion dollar movie of 2019

'Frozen 2' is now Disney's sixth billion dollar movie of 2019

Frozen 2 continues to make all the money.

The current weekend sees Disney Animation’s latest crossing $1 billion at the global box office, making it the Disney label’s third release to reach that milestoneFrozen 2 now joins Disney Animation’s fellow billion dollar earners Zootopia and the original Frozen.

The long-awaited sequel hit theaters in the U.S. on Nov. 22, and has so far earned $366.5 million domestically. The other roughly $666 million in foreign ticket sales, with China ($104.4 million), South Korea ($75.4 million), and Japan ($55.2 million) leading the way in overseas markets. 

The current totals establish Frozen 2 as the 11th highest-earning animated film of all time in the U.S.,  a ranking that’s likely to improve even more in the coming weeks. With $366.5 earned so far domestically, Frozen 2 is just a couple million shy of the 9th and 10th positions, currently held by The Secret Life of Pets and Despicable Me 2, respectively. Read more…

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Here’s what Apple’s $6,000 cheese grater Mac Pro looks like on the inside

Here's what Apple's $6,000 cheese grater Mac Pro looks like on the inside

After months of waiting, Apple’s new, powerful (and expensive) Mac Pro is here, cheese grater casing and all. And while we’ve gotten up close with it in the past, the folks at iFixIt have done their thing and popped it open for all to see. 

Known for their tear-downs of new tech in an effort to help users understand how they can fix their own devices, despite Apple’s best efforts to prevent that, iFixIt’s video here is even cooler than usual because of the new Mac Pro’s power and it being a modular computer. 

And, yes, they try to shred cheese with that case. 

This isn’t even iFixIt’s full tear-down of the Mac Pro, either, just an initial 20-minute look which means there’s even more to come. Here’s hoping that will include those $400 wheels.  Read more…

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Hallmark Channel faces online backlash for pulling LGBT ads

Hallmark Channel faces online backlash for pulling LGBT ads

The Hallmark Channel, producer of all your favorite schmaltzy Christmas movies, is facing a stiff online backlash after pulling multiple ads featuring same-sex couples kissing. The ads were pulled as a result of pressure from the conservative group, One Million Moms. 

The controversy started when Hallmark aired a series of ads for wedding planner site Zola, including one that featured a lesbian couple. 

One Million Moms, though, was apparently appalled at this perfectly innocuous advertisement for a website that reflects the real world and shows two consenting adults in a loving relationship.  Read more…

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Apple iPad Pro Smart Folio is the best damn keyboard on the go

Apple iPad Pro Smart Folio is the best damn keyboard on the go

Essentials Week spotlights unexpected items that make our daily lives just a little bit better.


When Apple unveiled its Smart Keyboard Folio alongside its latest and priciest iPad Pro models in late 2018, the peripheral barely registered on my radar. Little did I know it would become my constant companion, one of the most loved and most essential Apple products I’d ever bought. 

Sure, I’d been a huge iPad fan, and a sucker for the latest model, ever since nabbing the first model the day it launched in 2010. And yes, I was forever hunting for the best not-on-screen keyboard solution for my iPads. I’d long been jealous of Microsoft Surface users, who used keyboard covers to turn their tablets into tiny ultraportable laptops. But Apple’s version seemed more like a full-on keyboard case, which often name themselves Folios. I had no need to protect the back of my iPad (c’mon, Apple, it’s pretty durable) so I dismissed the option out of hand.  Read more…

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‘Top Gun: Maverick’ gets a high-flying new poster

'Top Gun: Maverick' gets a high-flying new poster

Top Gun: Maverick takes to the skies on June 26, 2020 and here’s a brand new poster to help get you in the mood.

'Top Gun: Maverick' gets a high-flying new poster

Image: paramount pictures

That’s not all, either. Paramount released the poster on Sunday ahead of a new trailer that will be coming on Monday morning. The end of the year is always blockbuster trailer season, and Top Gun: Maverick promises to be one of the biggest hits of summer 2020.

SEE ALSO: James Bond ‘No Time to Die’ trailer gives first look at Rami Malek’s creepy villain

The long-awaited sequel brings us back into the life of Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, though it’s not clear exactly how or why. The first trailer made it clear that Maverick’s career pretty much stalled after the events of Top Gun, but it seemed to be much more about setting a mood. This next trailer should gives us a better sense of the story.  Read more…

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Hackers are getting really good at hacking Ring cameras and the results are terrifying

Hackers are getting really good at hacking Ring cameras and the results are terrifying

In case you needed another reminder of the potentially terrifying downside of having a Wi-Fi-connected security camera in your home, consider this: it’s surprisingly easy for hackers to gain access to them.

Hackers have created software that essentially streamlines the process, and are selling and sharing it on internet forums, Motherboard reported. The exploit is possible not because of any one vulnerability in Ring’s software, but rather how it takes advantage of insecure passwords in order to get into the accounts in question. 

This is much more than a theoretical vulnerability. There have been reports all around the country of people encountering strangers on the other end of their in-home security camera.  Read more…

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Vudu offers ‘rental redos’ in case you hate a movie

Vudu offers 'rental redos' in case you hate a movie

We’ve all done it: you start a movie only to realize partway in that it’s actually terrible. If you’re streaming on Netflix or somewhere else, this is no big deal because you can just switch to something else. 

But if you’ve paid to rent the movie, it’s much more of a bummer. Now, not only do you have to find something better, you’re also out the rental fee. 

Walmart-owned streaming platform Vudu has a solution: “rental redo,” which gives users a 30-minute window to bail out on movie rentals without having to pay the fee. 

“Rental Redo is just like having a gift receipt for your movie,” the company explains. “If you decide your rental is not for you within the first 30 minutes, we’ll give you a ‘redo’ so you can find another movie to fit your mood.” Read more…

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