I scored the domain name Ayn.TV.

I worked on things to fit what she said where her dreams. Modeling didn’t work because that business is just weird. She groked it and that business doesn’t like girl who grok it. We then started writing a book. Harry Potter was taking off and we started writing a book set in New Orleans with a flood threat that skidded to a halt with Katrina. My next thing was podcasting inspired by Dawn and Drew. The Crappy Christian Show quickly evolved from Luria and me getting drunk and talking into a mic into a ministry type thing to share the idea that God may love gay people just as they are, without any expectation they change. I didn’t want to be in ministry and Luria certainly didn’t.

Steve Jobs announced the first iPod that played video and I worked to make that iPod play GeekBrief.TV. That worked well. We started making money. Mevio was a great partner. Luria wanted more, and people in her life convinced her she was the character I wrote every day. Her belief that she was Cali Lewis grew into an argument that led her to leave our marriage.

I still want to be writing tech news as Cali Lewis and producing GeekBrief.TV. I don’t get that as an option, and I’ve come close to launching alternative visions. I almost released a gadget show yesterday.

Here’s the deal though … I don’t want to work on a next thing that is anything but temporary. My heart can’t currently believe in long term. I want to work, but I’m not ready to say, “This is the thing that replaces Cali Lewis and GeekBrief.TV for me.” Even my dreams for Bacon.TV in partnership with Wright Brand Bacon isn’t that powerful!

The Mayans predicted the world ends at the end of 2012. Obviously, that’s silly just like when that preacher dude did it twice in 2011. But you know what? So what! What will happen if I live this year like it’s not only my last year, but yours? That’s what I’m going to do.

Tomorrow I launch a temporary thing I can believe in and I think it will inspire you to do something better than you planned to do in 2012. It isn’t serious because I’m not ready to be serious. It’s just about fun.

I’ve lost my life goal of being married to a beautiful, smart, and kind girl. I’m not making that kind of goal again. To make it through. I want to live as though it’s not only my last year but yours too.

This video was my favorite Internet happening of 2011. I’ve been reading my friend’s status updates on Facebook and it makes me feel, about the Internet, the way Debbie feels about cats. I want to hug you all with rainbows in baskets!

My shero Dawn Miceli posted this and I concur…

Dear 2011,

I’m not even sure how to say this, its been so hard for so long. I don’t want to be with you anymore, there I said it. It just hasn’t been working out and I feel like I just need to get away from you. I am sure there were some good times but all I can remember right now are all the bad times, the horrible memories. You were a pretty shitty year and I am glad we are breaking up. I want to find a better year, one that will be fun and filled with good times. You just weren’t that year, it wasn’t in your nature and I know now no one could change you. Don’t text or call please, its better we never see each other again. I’m just gonna walk away and pretend this has been just one bad nightmare.

My 2012 resolution is to live this year with the idea that the Mayans were right about it being our last one. 2011 sucked for me. It was the worst year of my life. It’s uphill from here and it’s going to be fun … and there will be BACON!

Since my post, I’ve learned that Bob Parsons posted a video of his elephant kill. This happened earlier in the year when I wasn’t paying attention. Bob responded to negative reaction to his despicable act by saying he was helping a community deal with a pest. If you have the money and power to help protect pour communities in Africa deal with protecting their farms from elephants, build a damn fence! Don’t shoot elephants.

I stopped registering domain names with GoDaddy.com long ago.

GoDaddy was a huge part of GeekBrief.TV’s revenue. It wasn’t sponsorship. It was commission. We made money when people registered a domain name using promo code GB1, GB2, or GB3. Enough GeekBrief.TV viewers were using that code that we were making $10,000 a month in commissions. GoDaddy wanted to change our promo codes because so many people were using them. That pissed us off and we told Bob Parsons, “thanks, but no thanks.” We worked hard to brand those codes and we were not willing to give up the power of our back catalog to loose money. We were only willing to continue to work with GoDaddy.com if they were willing to continue to work with GeekBrief.TV

We stopped promoting them, and I started a search for a new domain name registrar. The one I picked and the one I recommend is Name.com

I won’t support GoDaddy.com because I believe Bob Parsons is a bad man for a simple reason. Supporting SOPA matters to me a whole lot less than the fact he shot an elephant. Any person who shoots an elephant is a murderer. It’s not the same as shooting a deer or a pig. If you think I’m wrong, do some research. Elephants mourn their dead in a way other animals don’t. Anyone who would shoot an elephant isn’t worthy of my business.

I’m not a PETA person, either. I love hunters. I’ve got elk and deer meat in my freezer now. Shooting deer or elk for food is not anything like shooting an elephant to prove to yourself that you have a penis.

There are lots of alternatives to GoDaddy.com. I’ve chosen Name.com and I’ve loved the experience working with them. I sincerely apologize to those of you who registered domain names with GoDaddy.com because of GeekBrief.TV. We misjudged them and I’m sorry.

No single person, living or dead has had a more important impact on my life than Steve Jobs. I’m just learning animation. This is my second one. I wanted to do something in memory of Steve Jobs. Some people like to listen to Linus quote Luke 2 on Christmas. I want to hear Steve Jobs toast The Crazy Ones who change things.

I uploaded in 1080p so watch full-screen.

I’ve worked through a lot of stuff in the last year. This TED talk covers some of the stuff I’m still working through.

“Stories are data with a soul.” -Brene Brown

I’m not a fan of light pollution and the way you can’t see stars in a city, but ultimate light represents life. This satellite photo shows communist North Korea above capitalist South Korea at night. South Korea is alive with light while North Korea is completely dark.

Let’s hope the end of Kim Jong Il’s life will result in the end of a regime where North Korea’s people don’t have enough to eat and will have light at night, if they want it.

As we move toward the next election, the paid pundits on the left and the right tell us it’s going to be Romney V. Obama, even though very few Republicans give a damn about Romney. I gotta say it’s weird for me because I’m a social liberal and a fiscal conservative and that’s what Romney’s record suggests he is too. I just don’t believe him. He comes across as 97% inauthentic. I’ve experienced enough of that in my personal life to know it when I see it.

The other night, I decided to watch the Republican debate. I put out a few tweets and then got one back from someone pretending to be named Jen Littlefield. The twitter names is jPENNAME!!! This person may tweet again, but hasn’t tweeted sense he or she tweeted,

@nealcampbell are you looking for an actor or a president. Why do people always want their candidates to sound like Dr. Phil. Geesh.

Now think about that for a second. This woman or man posting as a woman is defending a Republican presidential candidate by dissing actors? Most loyal Republicans believe our greatest president was Ronald Reagan. I think that account came from the Romney campaign, and I think it’s 100% fake.

I responded to @jpenname with two tweets:

@jpenname your twitter account is as fake as Romney. Let fake fail always.

and

It’s not so surprising that Romney’s campaign would use fake twitter accounts to make his campaign even more fake @jpenname.

The thing I like about new media is the push for authenticity. Everything else can be laughed away.

Steve Jobs Silhouette Stay Hungry Stay Foolish 1920 x 1080

Made by Neal on a Mac.

By request, versions optimized for iPad and iPhone…

for iPad

for iPhone (vertical)

Why is the wallpaper for iPad square? Someone asked so I explain it here with a template you can download.