I saw this trailer for Ghost Stories back in February and it grabbed hold of me immediately. Full of menace, glimpses of gorgeous cinematography and an aura of claustrophobia, it's everything I want in a horror film. I just learned that it'll be available to buy on iTunes, if you're in the United States, on July 17th. I am so stoked. Read the rest

I used to go to a lot of air shows when I was a kid growing up in Canada. I used to love seeing the American, British and French air forces show off their aircraft. It was always a thrill to see Canada's Snowbird aerobatic team show up to strut their stuff. Now, thanks to this video, I have a little insight into how they and other elite flying teams do what they do. Read the rest

The British Half Pint Beer Glass [Amazon] is the perfect all-purpose drinking glass, and a set of 12 should immediately replace all other small- to medium-sized glasses in your cupboards.

It's like a traditional nonik pint glass, complete with elegant bulge for gripping and safe stacking, but miniaturized to contain only half a pint. It's adorable and is the perfect measure for just about any drink other than weak beer: wine, mixed drinks and decent ale are only the beginning, as they're an excellent vessel for nonalcoholic beverages and even hot drinks. (The wide, accessible character makes them good for experimenting with cocktails, too.)

Since I got a set, they've become my daily driver for my favorite sawbuck reds, both expanding their influence on my palate even as they moderate my consumption. Yes, Orwell would be displeased, but such is life, and life is not much for the opinions of the dead.

There are a few cheaper sets you can find, but most are trash, either merch for Britishy franchises or cheap, thin glass that's liable to chip or crack quickly. Get the high-quality tempered-glass set here. You won't regret it.

British Half Pint Beer Glass [Amazon]

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The documents leaked by Edward Snowden revealed a division of British intelligence focused on the use of psychological science to influence, deceive, and infiltrate suspected terrorist cells, hostile states, criminal gangs, and activist groups. Vaughan "Mind Hacks" Bell investigates, and notes that some of their techniques draw heavily from the work of Robert Cialdini, author of Influence, an absolute must-read classic book about techniques of persuasion. Read the rest

Every retailer has the right to lower prices to drive interest. Read the rest

From Max Read's fantastic article nitpicking the inconsistencies in Game of Thrones' deployment of regional British accents:

"The show has dragons, who cares if the accents don't match?": Well, first of all, I care. Second of all, the cornerstone of science fiction and fantasy fandom is nitpicking. Third of all, the fact that Game of Thrones doesn't take place within our collectively agreed-upon reality doesn't release it from its responsibility to verisimilitude or the maintenance of internal consistency within its own systems.