Phoneways

by philrw
68 words - 1 min read
Film/TV/Theater Rants and Raves

When taking a video on your cellphone, hold it sideways. Nobody likes to watch videos with a vertical aspect ratio on a horizontal screen. And it looks ridiculous on the front page of the New York Times when somebody’s cell phone video has gigantic black bars on either side of it, making it completely tiny and unwatchable.

Sincerely,

Film Production M.F.A.

P.S. Do this for still images, too.

Money Time

by philrw
83 words - 1 min read
Personal

I’m good at managing my finances. I wanted to know how much time I spent on it, so over the last year I’ve tracked every minute working on finances: scanning receipts, entering transactions, reconciling accounts, budgeting, tracking tax-related things.

It turns out that during 2016 I spent 65 hours, 56 minutes, and 2 seconds related to financial matters.

So there you have it. There’s nothing special to getting good at money. You just have to spend a lot of time actually doing it.

Probably Not. Because "We" Chose It.

by philrw
129 words - 1 min read
Rants and Raves
As mentioned in The DSA, the rest of the media are now starting to catch up with the idea that our next Presidente may be our last. I wish I were hyperbolizing, but my perception remains that American society as a whole is on the decline. We have devalued intelligence, education, and compassion for too long and now we are starting to see the results. Hate and fear now rule supreme, fueled by our mind-numbing and complacency-inducing opiates (both literal and figurative), race to the bottom, and general idea that the American People are stupid, ignorant, arrogant, selfish, and greedy.
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Phil's Tips for Surviving Planet Hotbox

by philrw
502 words - 3 min read
Rants and Raves

Let me tell ya something: it doesn’t matter if our next Executive branch believes in anthropogenic climate change. The next head of the EPA can burn all the methane that he personally emits for all it will matter. We’re way beyond thinking that anything we do now will stop these effects within our lifetimes, or those of our children or grandchildren. What we need to be doing now is preparing for the world that we have inherited from the consequences of our collective and individual action and inaction.

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Comcast Gigabit Pro No-Go

by philrw
611 words - 3 min read
Rants and Raves Tech
I was intrigued to see if Comcast had Gigabit Pro fiber Internet service in my area, so I called to enquire about it. The CSR opened an inquiry ticket for me and someone called me back within two days and indicated that yes, they did have fiber in my area. The cost would be $300/month + $20/month equipment rental with a 2-year contract, a $500 install fee, and a $500 activation fee. For that I would get 2 Gbps symmetric Internet access! But they would need to do a “walk survey” to verify that my location was suitable for installation.
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The DSA

by philrw
219 words - 2 min read
Rants and Raves
Welcome to the DSA, which, on January 20, 2017, will become the world’s newest budding Autocracy. Current similar regimes (see: Russia) eagerly await its arrival, while the dissimilar nation states (our current allies) anticipate with dread. The new Supreme Leader will consolidate power as quickly as he can. He will move to stifle his critics in the media, punish those who oppose him, and start making good on what he’s been saying he’d do. Do not hold out hope, or “normalize,” as this will only harm your chances in the long run.
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Briefly How To Protect Your Civil E-Liberties

by philrw
351 words - 2 min read
Rants and Raves Tech

Some of you may be more worried now about your privacy and the protection of your civil liberties. I have been a long-time advocate for maintaining private, encrypted communications, and have stayed on top of the technology. Here are some things you should do, right now:

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