Darnell Clayton

Adventures In Hospital Land

2009-07-06T04:59:00.000-04:00

So right now it's past 4 AM, and I am at the hospital with friends and Amy's family.

Right now I think the doctor stepped in (unsure as they kicked everyone but one person out of the room) so I fully expect the baby to arrive sometime this morning (hopefully before 8 AM).

Everyone else in the waiting room went home except for Amy's parents, her oldest sister and I (we're roughing it for until he is born).

I've uploaded a bunch of photos to Facebook already, and will update everyone on her current status from within it ad well (as I am not using Twitter as Facebook is more private).

Also, some people have been asking me about my relationship with Amy, as well as Miles her son, so here is the "short & sweet" version which should help kill a few rumors that have been spreading

• Amy and I are friends right now, but I do plan on courting/dating her later on
• Yes, I do love Amy, and yes she is my first love (no joke)
• I am not the biological father of her son, Miles (& yes, I'm still a virgin)

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask me on:

• Twitter: @Darnell
• Friendfeed: Friendfeed.com/Darnell
• Facebook: Facebook.com/DarnellClayton

Alrighty, I'm going to try to get 1 hour of sleep before Miles greets the world, so text me if want extra info peeps.

--Posted via iPhone

Well, I Guess The Secret Is Now Out

2009-06-26T21:34:00.000-04:00

After countless tweets, Facebook messages, Skype calls & text messages (when Twitter was down--AT&T made some serious $$$ off of me that day) I can finally say with certainty that I am in love with a woman who goes by the name of Amy Moore.

I first laid eyes upon her when we went to a prolife rally in Columbia, although I assumed that like most beautiful girls she was already taken (& let's face it, they almost ALWAYS are).

Fast forward to earlier of this year & I discovered that she was single, although at the time I was not looking to get involved with anyone due to the global recession (as relationships are expensive--especially REAL blue roses).

After numerous tweet messages (a few of which accidently became public--Grrr evil Twitter API!), I slowly went from hesitantly liking this feisty girl to loving this sassy lady from the south.

While the future is uncertain (thanks to our ingenious politicians in both parties--Grrrrrr!!!!), I'm going to do whatever is in my power to make this relationship thrive.

There are more details to this story that I won't post here, but if anyone who can keep a secret is interested in learning more, you can reach me at:

• Twitter: @Darnell
• facebook.com/DarnellClayton
• Phone: 864-990-2091

--Posted via iPhone

The Hardest Thing About Love Is...

2009-06-25T23:19:00.000-04:00

Of all the emotions that I've experienced, I think love is the most complicated. Seriously, you are elated about a person throughout the entire day, and one small thing can make you worry over them.

It makes me almost feel like a parent or something (even though I am not one). But you often worry about their health and even the smallest things (like a potential spider bite) can throw you off (Grrrrrrrrrrr!!!!).

Although this is the first time I've been in love with someone special, I find that I become concerned over the smallest things (which usually isn't me for the record).

While I have no regrets about being in love (as I think it makes life grand and is ultimately worth it), I wish there was a way to turn the "worry mode" off.

At least for a while.

(Image Credit: Southern Illinois University)

Love Is Like An iPhone

2009-06-08T22:29:00.000-04:00

Love is like an iPhone

It keeps me focused on life

Reminds me of what is important

And gets feisty if I cause strife

Love is like an iPhone

You feel lost when its not around

You'll hunt down its last position

And rejoice when it is found

Love is like an iPhone

It's programed to make you smile

It will entertain you for hours

And make stressful days worthwhile

Love is like an iPhone

It can become quite expensive!

But you don't mind the cost

For its quality is extensive

Love is like an iPhone

It knows the music of your heart

It adapts to your changing tastes

And imports only the best parts

Love is like an iPhone

It sucks up time and energy!

It demands a strong commitment

As it requires a lot of synergy

Love is like an iPhone

It must be treated with care

If you abuse it, others will notice

So treat it right and treat it fair

Love is like an iPhone

Its a privilege but not a right

It should never be taken for granted

And never surrendered without a fight

That is why I love my iPhone

And I think it loves me too

I'll never exchange it for another

For no other phone will do

Poem by Darnell Clayton

Note: Images will be add in later!

An Unwritten Future

2009-06-06T01:08:00.000-04:00

The future has yet to be written
At least that's what I was told
Before the government bailouts
Before banks began to fold

They're saying the futures determined
As if I no longer have any choice
No opinion worthy of consulting
No influence with my voice

There is a debt that I have to pay
A credit issued to my name
But I refuse to accept this debt
And pay for my leaders shame

While I was born in this country
And raised here all of my life
I will not raise any kids here
To experience this economic strife

My future is still determined
But not by a government tool
I did not agree to this stimulus
And I refuse to pay for fools

So farewell my beloved country
I intend to live here no more
Because in half a decade or less
I'll be seeking out eastern shores

--Posted via iPhone

Its Official: I'm In Love

2009-05-18T22:44:00.000-04:00

Roses are red

Violets are blue

But the best part of life

Is sharing it with you

Whenever I'm depressed

Or angry at the world

You calm me down

Like no other girl

Some say you're too much

Like a red pepper, too spicy

But that's why I love you

You're beautiful and feisty

You're so sweet to my lips

And rarely ever sour

But whenever I need you

Your available within the hour

Being around you

Must be good for my health

I try to sneak by your side

Like a ninja with stealth

Just your presence alone

Just giving you one glance

Brings out the best in me

And inspires me to dance

Some guys may prefer cars

Other guys may prefer dudes

But when it comes to me

I'm in love with Asian food!

Note: This poem is dedicated to all of the Asian women out there who can cook all of those delicious recipes that I can not pronounce. If you're a lady who can cook Asian food, then this goes out to you too!

Image Credits: Ninja from brunkfordbraun, Dancers from Barry Goyette, Chinese food image from Nanchang.

Love Is A Dangerous Emotion

2009-05-14T01:44:00.000-04:00

Love is a dangerous emotion
Blinding both rhyme & reason
It causes extreme devotion
Regardless of the season

Love makes the cowardly brave
Love makes the poor very rich
You'll exchange all the wealth you saved
Or trek through a dangerous ditch

It will turn the wise into fools
And reduce kings into mere mortals
Love will turn you into a tool
Smashing you against the rocks & pebbles

Love is a dangerous emotion
It's deadly right out of the box
But I will never feel it's potion
As I have locked it away in a box

~poem by Darnell Clayton

--Posted via iPhone

Palm Pre's Upcoming Failure (And How They Can Avoid It)

2009-05-13T14:12:00.000-04:00

Unless you are apart of the alternate reality know as the geek-a-sphere, then you probably have not heard about the upcoming Palm Pre, exclusive to Sprint.

While this device rivals the iPhone in several ways (one of them being multitasking), this device is doomed to fail--although through no fault of it's own (with one exception).

Dude, where's my App?

After being inspired by jailbreaking hackers, Apple launched an app store which everyone from Google Android to Blackberry copied.

To my knowledge, Apple has over 30,000 apps while Android has a few thousand (note: I have no clue what Blackberry's numbers are).

If Palm Pre launches without some App momentum behind them, they may not attract many users because their too busy coveting Stanza, Ocarina or Joost which are on the iPhone (but may not be elsewhere).

Solution: Palm Pre needs to entice the iPhone developer community in order to attract the masses by the thousands.

With many iDevelopers in an uproar against Apple over a delay of payment, now would be the perfect time to "steal away" developers from Steve Jobs.

My suggestion? Offer the first 10,000 developers 100% commission for the first month of operation, and extend that offer for another month for those who end up in the top 10.

Compare yourself, with thyself

When Sprint launched the Instinct, one of their first mistakes was comparing themselves against the iPhone. Not only did Apple receive free advertising, but it showed just how clear the screen was.

Palm (and Sprint) should let the pundits compare and contrast the phones, and not marketing execs (unless they want a public backlash).

Palm and Sprint are doing a great job of this this far, although I fear desperation for attention might kick in ruining everything (especially with WWDC rolling around in June).

Solution: Highlight your phone, wait for the Apple mania to pass (give it two weeks) before proceeding to the next idea below.

Palm Pre What?

While many people have heard of Palm--at least in the corporate world--very few in the mainstream have heard of Palm Pre.

Let's face it, everyone has heard about the iPhone. I know plenty of kids (8 years or younger) who know exactly what an iPhone is and (sadly) think nothing can compare to it.

Suggestion: Since neither Palm or Sprint can match Apple's market share (at least immediately), my suggestion is they introduce the world to the Palm Pre via talk shows like Oprah and Ellen.

They should focus on why the Palm Pre is "Oprah/Ellen friendly," and then give one to every member of the audience (with 6 months free service).

This would generate headlines beyond the realm of geek, and help establish Palm as a serious iConpetitor.

Conclusion: You are probaly wondering why I, an iFanatic would seek Palm and Sprint's success, instead of their demise.

Truth be told while I probably would never exchange my iPhone for a Palm Pre (at least without seriously testing the Pre), I do want a strong rival to appear against Apple, instead of these half baked attempts by the Blackberry Storm (who needs a UI design for their phone) and Google Android (who has a software hardware dissconnect on the HTC).

Palm is currently my best hope that a serious iRival will emerge which will not only save both companies from financial ruin (that would be Palm and Sprint), but it would spare me the agony of hearing "Hi, I'm an iPhone--and hi, I'm an Android Phone" in the not so distant future.

--Posted via iPhone

Why You're Never Bored If You Live In Japan

2009-05-12T18:47:00.001-04:00

And I thought the fact that they allowed you to dance the night away as a Storm trooper was the best thing. :-)

Is The Ticket To The Future Always Open?

2009-05-04T21:23:00.000-04:00

Of all the televisions shows that I have watched since I was little, none have left a larger impression upon me than a Japanese anime flick called Trigun.

Anyways while watching the Trigun anime many moons ago, I came across an interesting quote from the main character, Vash the Stampede:

"The ticket to the future is always open."

With hyperinflation (via massive deficits), swine flu and pychotic dictators preaching nuclear war against their neighbors, I sometimes wonder if the future is going to be as open and friendly as I always dreamed it would be.

Despite the seriousness of these issues, the US is as polarized as ever, with both sides making childish remarks against each other (such as "the party of no" or Telepromter of the US aka TOTUS) instead of finding solutions on common ground.

What ever happened to the help thy neighbor attitude, even if you disagreed with most of their political views?

Perhaps I am naive, but I do know that if we don't figure out how to work together, the US will be finished as an economic power (not to mention a military one as well).

Which brings me to another quote from Trigun by Rem Saverem:

"And if you can keep your vision clear, you will see the future. What happens in our future is our own responsibility."

I think it's time we start working together instead of taking shots at each other, as if the other party were the full reincarnation of the Nazi party.

Because whether we like it or not, it's going to take ALL OF US to solve these unprecedent times--and if we can not even do that then we might as well dust off our passports and start taking classes in Manderin (aka Chinese).

--Posted via iPhone

Game Over America: Universal Healthcare By October (Thanks Obama)

2009-04-24T22:35:00.000-04:00

Before any of the healthcare nuts (from either side) flame the comment section, I want you to take a look at this chart from the Washington Post.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is the future burden of America. Your kids, and grand kids and great grand kids are going to have to pay this massive debt back.

Despite this massive debt, it now looks like our awesomely, awesome politicians are now thinking of making Universal healthcare a reality--even if they have to enact the nuclear option to get it.

(The New Republic) It's been in the works for a while and now, according to senior Captiol Hill staffers, it's a done deal: The final budget resolution will include a "reconciliation instruction" for health care. That means the Democrats can pass health care reform with just fifty votes, instead of the sixty it takes to break a filibuster.

The deal was hatched late afternoon and last night, in a five-hour negotiating session at the office of Senate Majoriy Leader Harry Reid. A trio of White House officials were there: Rahm Emanuel, Peter Orszag, and Phil Schiliro. Also present, along with Reid, were House Budget Chairman John Spratt and Senate Budget Chairman Kent Conrad.

The reonciliation instruction specifies a date. That date, according to one congressional staffer, is October 15. (The original House reconciliation instruction had a late September deadline.)

The New Republic goes on how supposedly this will be funded via pay as you go, which is a great theory and all except for one thing--we are in a fraking recession folks! When everyone is currently scrounging around for cash, the last thing they need is another tax when they are already struggling to pay their utilities.

Since the pay as you go model is (probably) doomed to fail, President Obama is probably going to have to pass another "stimulus" bill in order to fund this boondoggle, which means your upcoming inheritance may have a future resembling Zimbabwe when the Chinese cash in on all those bonds we owe them.

Whether you are for healthcare or not is irrelevant by one simple fact: universal healthcare is very expensive! If this bill passes (which I fear it will) then America's future will probably look something like this:

Game over America.

(Hat Tip: AllahPundit on Hot Air, Image Credit: Unable to read artist name in photo, but its there)

Testing Windows Live Writer

2009-04-14T15:15:00.001-04:00

This is just a demo test of Windows live writer. If this works, it could save me some serious browser hassle (as Firefox eats up too much memory, Google Chrome still has issues with tabs and IE is not fast enough for me while Opera makes the web look ugly).

Also doing an image test as well. Here is firefox…

Next is Internet Explorer…

Last (but not least) is Google Chrome…

Should I ad video as well? Hmm…

Selah!

Let 1,000 Urban Gardens Bloom

2009-04-13T17:54:00.001-04:00

Wow, this is really a great idea! Perhaps I should figure out how to grow my own garden (as it might be cheaper than buying food from Wal*Mart).

Blogger Vs WordPress (And Why I Choose Both)

2009-04-05T01:42:00.001-04:00

I hate to dissappoint the fan boys and girls on both sides of the fence, but this is not a post bashing one side or the other.

Rather it is simply my reflection of two of the most popular blogging services, Blogger (as well as it's eternal beta Blogger in Draft) and WordPress.org (not to be confused with WordPress.com, which I would not recommend using due to it's limitations, which I'll explain below).

Where WordPress Excels

What I love about WordPress can be summed up in one word: design.

You'll won't find a larger collection of beautiful themes outside of this platform, which probably explains why do many Blogger themes are imported from WordPress.

While there are plenty of free WordPress themes out there, I would recommend purchasing a premium theme (like Elegant Themes which is inexpensive).

Another thing I love about WordPress is that it is comment friendly. Instead of using CAPTCHA's or weird puzzles, WordPress users can use Askimet (spelling?) which uses geek magic to decipher between the spammers and the humans (WordPress.org users I would recommend using WP Spam Free which is better--and free!).

These anti-spam plugins keep make the WordPress commenting design much friendlier--unless of course you are a spammer. ;-)

Last but not least the ability to add pages is a plus, which allows you to create an "about me" section, making your blog much more professional.

Where Blogger Excels

Owned by Google, Blogger is the most popular blogging platform online. If I could sum up Blogger in one word, it would be this: freedom.

When it comes to posting media content (whether images, video or iframe documents) Blogger has IMHO no close rival. Users are allowed to embed content from anywhere, without the fear of it being blocked due to "security reasons" (which is why I don't use WordPress.com).

You can also embed content from Google Docs, a feature I found to be lacking in WordPress (both of them).

Over in the Blogger in Draft arena, users can easily adjust the position of the image within the post by simply dragging it, a feature that makes "dressing up" the post all the easier.

This one feature saves me a lot of time, as I don't have to muck with the code in order to find the perferct picture placement.

Users can also upload video directly into Blogger, without the need to upload it on YouTube or elsewhere, which is great way to keep the video on your blog instead of infront of the public masses.

Last but not least Blogger's widgets make it very easy to add, adjust or remove content from your blog, without the need to enter within the admin arena.

Conclusion

While I could have mentioned other items (like WordPress Plugins or specific Blogger widgets), these above pretty much sum up the major differences between the two.

Since neither WordPress or Blogger are meeting my complete needs, I've decided to use both platforms until one of them steps up their game. I already have 8 blogs (4 on Blogger, 2 on WordPress.com and 2 running WordPress.org on my own server).

Both WordPress and Blogger are excellent services, although if you are short on cash I would recommend using Blogger (as you can blog on your own domain for $10/year) although if you prefer to host you own blog on your own server, I would suggest using WordPress.org.

--Posted via iPhone

Video: Is the End Of America Nigh?

2009-03-21T21:19:00.001-04:00

Here is a video of a guy claiming that America will soon collapse like the USSR.

If it were not for the fact that our foolish politicians were spending our future away (without reducing the deficit--ie raising taxes) I would merely laugh at his humble opinion.

Testing Out CellSpin (Podcasting)

2009-03-21T19:26:00.001-04:00

A brief demo and test of CellSpin, a audio podcasting service.

Uploaded by www.cellspin.net

I'm Officially Ending My Yahoo Boycott (Starting Today)

2009-03-04T13:23:00.001-05:00

Ever since Yahoo sold it's soul the mighty Yuan a few years back by illegally handing user information over to the Chinese authority (which resulted in this poor guy being tortured) I decided to boycott all things Yahoo.

While this may seem trivial to Google fanboys (and girls), this meant that I had to give up some very useful services, like Del.icio.us, Flickr and Jumpcut.

Even though Jerry Yang eventually apologized, I still didn't feel like placing my info upon their servers until I felt like the company actually cared about keeping it's users happy than about how many bearocratic rear ends they kissed.

After reading about Yahoo's current spout with Belgium over user privacy (in which they are protecting the user rights of a few douchbags) I have decided to end my boycott by opening a new Flickr, Delicious and Jumpcut account, as well as unblock Yahoo ads online.

I may even join Yahoo Publisher, although for now I am quite satisfied with Google AdSense. :-)

-- Post From My iPhone

The Shack: What I Loved And What I Hated

2009-02-11T23:58:00.000-05:00

So I finished reading a book called The Shack by William P. Young.

Overall I found the book to be slightly "emoish," although it's one of those few books that I find that can alter ones perception of God (regardless of your perspective or philosophy regarding him).

Like most books nowadays, I read it on my iPhone (thanks in part to ScrollMotion) which has really rekindled the bookworm within me--but more of that later (on another blog).

Anyways, The Shack started off really slow. I felt like I was watching a LifeTime show produced by the 700 club (which I would not recommend anyone watching--especially the latter).

Half way through the book started improving (although it was still slightly corny) but the end justified the $16 I paid for this book app on iTunes.

Overall the book tries to paint a very simplistic "I love you unconditionally" view of God, and his constant fascination of humanity.

What I liked about the book was it's constant focus on improving relationships with friends and family. Love is a verb in this book (and not a noun) and whether you agree with its theology or not (note: many conservative Christians may not), The Shack pushes you to reexamine your relationships and do whatever is neccessary to improve them.

What I thought was lame about the book was it's portrayal that independent people are somehow evil, which might not thrill those of you within the Libertarian group (myself included).

Overall the book was okay, and if I had to rate it I would give it 3.5 out of 5 stars (I would give it 4 if the intro wasn't so underwhelming).

-- Post From My iPhone

Blogger In Draft Plus Google Chrome Equals Fail Whale

2009-02-08T19:59:00.004-05:00

Wow, talk about weird. Basically in Google Chrome (version 2.0.160.0) if you open up a previous post within Blogger in Draft (to edit), it "reinterprets" all of your previous text.

Example: Here is a post from one of my demo blogs of what your article should look like when logging into Blogger.com (in gChrome) when trying to edit a post.

And here is what it looks like in gChrome through draft.blogger.com:

I've tested other browsers (Firefox and Opera) and none of them are showing the same error.

Hopefully Google can take a look at this and fix it before they release 2.0 to the masses.

Dear iPhone, Your BFF Has Arrived!

2009-02-07T17:46:00.000-05:00

My iPhone battery extender has just arrived in the mail.

While I didn't expect it to arrive this early (as the USPS tracker was not updating) I am now glad that I can Tweet/blog/game/do excel sheets/game/heavily edit photos/game/Facebook/friendfeed without having to worry about my battery dying. :-)

-- Post From My iPhone

I'm Suing Google (For Text Spamming Me To Death)

2009-02-02T21:56:00.035-05:00

Okay, before this reaches Techmeme, I just wanted to let everyone know that I am not suing Google, rather I am VERY frustrated that one of their online office suites, Google Calendar will NOT stop sending me text messages reminders despite the fact that I sent the STOP command, and even turned off reminders in my gCalendar event.

I thought this was an isolated case, but it seems that numerous folks are experiencing the same thing, on various carriers (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile).

Since these texts are costing me money, I am going to ban Google indefinitely until this problem is either resolved, or Congress grants me a personal bailout.

Note: For those of you suffering under the same thing as well, just simply call your provider and have them block 483-68.

Superbowl Sadness :-(

2009-02-01T20:43:00.001-05:00

Utter sadness! Cardinals getting spanked by the Steelers.

Uploaded by www.cellspin.net

Dear Google, Please KEEP GrandCentral!

2009-01-15T22:15:00.001-05:00

Okay, for those of you who have no idea what GrandCentral is, it is like the Gmail for voicemail, organizing your calls and even blocking telemarketers/spam (giving them a "this number has been disconnected" message--heh).

Here is a video explanation below (I think before Google bought them out).

Unfortunately with the recent shutdown of several Google services, some are wondering whether or not Google will be shutting down other services like GrandCentral (which I use on my iPhone thanks to GrandDialer).

Even though GrandCentral is currently free, I am perhaps one of the many users who would be willing to pay a monthly fee to keep it alive.

While Google has not announced any plans to cut any other services, I am attempting to start a mini blog/twitter campaign in order to keep GrandCentral from falling under the Google Axe.

GrandCentral is not only one of the few Google projects that has the potential of revolutionizing its respective arena entirely (in this case voicemail), but also pull its own wait (with a premium feature).

So Google, if you are reading this, please DO NOT DISCONTINUE GrandCentral!!!

Pretty please? :*-(

I was wondering if anyone would

Update (1/27): It looks like Google has some big plans for GrandCentral. :-) Stay tuned!

Dear Hamas, This Is Why I Hate You

2009-01-07T22:54:00.001-05:00

Its not the fact that they are firing missiles into cities or support the destruction of Israel. That alone would make me upset.

But when you drag kids into a war zone, you lose not only all of my sympathy, but gain my utter hatred.

Kids need to be PROTECTED!!! The fact that they are now trying to use kids as human shields speaks volumes as to their depravity.

Even Hezbollah (an organization who I also have no love for) does not (to my knowledge) drag kids into the middle of a combat zone.

And if you think I am upset about this going on, what do you think Obama, or Hillary are going to do when they find out about this?

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2008-12-24T22:06:00.001-05:00

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, a Happy Channukah, and a happy new year!

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