From the site:
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It is obvious that people would find life extremely difficult without computers, maybe even impossible. If they disappeared for just one day, would we be able to cope?
Be a part of one of the biggest global experiments ever to take place on the internet. The idea behind the experiment is to find out how many people can go without a computer for one whole day, and what will happen if we all participate!
Shutdown your computer on this day and find out! Can you survive for 24 hours without your computer?
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Who hasn't gone a day without using a computer? Being able to do something and wanting to do something are different. Even if you prove millions are "capable" of going without a computer for a day, have you really changed the world if they still wanted to?

Is it seriously that impressive to go a day without a computer? Why don't we really challenge ourselves and go a day without food/water/shelter?

Just because it's trendy doesn't mean it makes sense.

Man, I go days (sometimes) without touching my computer... this is not always a good thing either. When you forget to check your email... well, embarrassing things happen. I wish I would remember to get on my computer more often. If you consider going one day without touching a computer to be a big accomplishment, IMO, you have a very big problem.

In my line of work, I call any day I don't have to touch a computer vacation.

On my off days, about the only thing I use the PC for is to check e-mail, sync my i-pod, and check THX. Other than that I generally try to stay as far away from the thing as possible.

I hate it when the power goes out.

Least I have EVDO on my cell phone...

lol

By chance do you have verizon and their (not so)Unlimited evdo. Here's the thing that pisses me off about cell phone companies right now. Mainly Verizon. They claim evdo is broadband, when the best I can get is 800k down...??? Better than it was before, but not nearly broadband. Also, they claim "unlimited" data plan, but there is the fine print at the bottom of their contracts saying you can only surf the web, check email etc. Not download or stream music or movies. Heard stories of people getting kicked for going over 5G per month, when it states nowhere how much you should use. I understand they need to preserve bandwidth, but it's still lying.

ok, rant over. (btw I heard sprint has true unlimited evdo, but I have no clue how good their service is)

It's not to prove or change anything, it's just a social experiment.

Of course we can go a day without a computer, whether we want to or not. I'm just saying ShutDown Day could be a good excuse for THX to get together and do an outside activity.

We have to get you up on the mountain this year. The weather will start getting milder over the next month.

Time is getting real tight for me with the looming events of May coming up. Still, maybe some Saturday in April?...dust the gear off and see how out of shape I've gotten this winter.

Then you're point is valid, and I agree. However, I do think the tone of the site you linked to is to "prove" something. Hell, why else would you conduct an "experiment" if not to test a hypothesis.

Let me grunt through the path on Redstone a couple dozen times, gasp at how out of shape I'm in, then I'll gladly accompany you. :)

Yes, that does seem to be the tone, but I don't necessarily take after it.

You typed the words right out of my fingers.

LOL.

From a Co-Founder of Shutdown Day replying to Engadget's boycott of the whole idea:

Hi [Engadget],

Thank you for your interest in the Shutdown Day experiment.

Great article! I love my computer too and couldn't live without it. Shutdown Day will be tough but I'm gonna give it a try and just see if people's views change at all. The discussion leading up to the event is certainly stimulating, with many different viewpoints.

Wishing you fast download speeds and a clutter free internet on the 24th,

Michael Taylor
www.shutdownday.org co-founder

P.S. To those asking "What Counts as a Computer?"

Our main aim is to get people just to stop and think about the issues that this experiment addresses, so it is personal to each individual. If your wife often suggests to you that you are having an affair with your PDA, then try switching it off for the day! If you need your cell phone to arrange fun things to do on Shutdown Day, please keep it on and use it. We think the internet is the thing that people will find most difficult to separate from for one day, so the main idea is that you keep your computers/laptops switched off, but if you use your PDA to access the net then perhaps you should switch it off too. We suggest you switch off your games consoles on 24th March also, but it’s a personal choice...

I still think I can do it. No videogames or PDAs/EVDO cell phones, though.

So what do you guys want to do on that day? Disc Golf? Bowling? Short hike?

Well, the Engadget article is the one that kinda makes me hear the "AMERICA F**K YEA!" song in my head a little more, so...

I'm with them. Screw the Hippies! (go USA)

Actually, the Engadget article had me hearing "I Love My Computer" by Bad Religion.

I'll vote for Foreclosure of a Dream by Megadeth, which has absolutely nothing to do with this, because in no way do I care. It was just the first thing that popped into my head.

I know, I know...

On the bright side, I've been riding my bike again!

...

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It's this Saturday! I'm working all day, and I'll probably just do some homework until I go to bed afterwards. Anyone else participating?

I'll be participating in some XBL.

Thats one of the faggiest things I have ever seen...may I suggest you do a brokeback mountain for youtube as well.

Not watching is absolutely free. But thanks for you opinion; it was well formulated and your constructive criticism is appreciated.

When you do something like that what else do you expect me to say? Oh great job filming yourself lipsynching a song about boning your computer? If thats the case then GG.

That sounds like a Midnight-type come-back. Been studying the past posts of the greats?

Alternately you could shrug, sigh, shake your head, and then say to yourself, "Well, at least he's posting stuff."

You're probably just mad because you watched the whole thing. You did, didn't you. C'mon, admit it. You kept thinking, "Maybe he'll do something interesting." I only watched one minute, and I felt pretty sheepish about that. I'd be pissed if I watched the whole thing.

;P

*Sigh*

I watched too much.

I have to agree with JDOGG... however, I have been silent, until now, because I am trying to be more patient and kind with certain individuals.

But honestly, I don't know who in their right mind, or sexual orientation would think that was entertaining. I watched about thirteen seconds of the thing and then was feeling sick, so I turned it off. I just thank God that I just happened to have my computer speakers off at the time. If I hadn't I think I would have been scarred for life. But it sounds like it was just a lip sync, so that is a relief.

No offense, but that really was about the gayest thing I have seen in a long time.

Ashamedly, I screwed with my speakers and volume for about 20 seconds trying to get audio, but I never did.

You should always learn from the best.

Andy, you really need to get laid.

Well there's your problem right there...

1. How is that NOT offensive?
2. Have you looked in a mirror lately?

1. Well then, so be it. It's true... you know it, I know it and he knows it.
2. Wow, somebody's grouchy... sleep on the couch last night?

Uhuh. Well, judging from that video... I'm not the only one.

BTW, you might want to cut that caterpillar off your upper lip.

Facial hair jokes mark only the most epic of debates. I've got some popcorn and am eagerly anticipating the next move.

Slayer: I am starting to despise you. You are trying so hard to get people on the "I hate Mintz" bandwagon. You've done this for a least the last year. It is so very obvious that you have it out for Mintz. And, it's getting very old.

What has he ever done to you? Or anyone else? He adds a lot more value into this community that you do. We all take ribbing from time to time. No one's immune to it and it can come from anybody. But you have some kind of vendetta for Mintz. And just when your conscience gets to you about it, you go and play the "'Oh, come on. You know you guys don't like him too' card." So weak.

So please tell me why he is your target?

I don’t think you’ll come up with a good reason so I’ll say: Go up a little. Quit acting like you are in some high school clique and you can't handle the social competition. Perhaps we should start treating you like the way you want us to (and the way you) treat Mintz.

I think it's appropriate you work in the chicken industry...for several reasons.

What have I started? My reaction to mintz video has nothing to do with my like or dislike for him slayer...Just to clarify. It was just one of those comments I felt something like that had coming.

Don't think for a second that I am sticking up for Slayer by saying this, he pissed me off earlier, but anyways here goes... whether or not you actually despise Andy or not is irrelevant, however, if you really do despise him for not liking someone else, that, in my opinion is childish but hey i could be wrong, perhaps he just tweaked you a little bit with his sleeping on the couch comment (which would explain the absence of your usually good spelling)...yes his vendetta against mintz is old, i dont like it and i don't really know why he feels the way he does or care for that matter. As far as adding "value" into this community i'd say that Andy adds plenty, not saying he has anything good to say cause a lot of time he doesn't but i do know that there have been many forum topics that have degenerated into the make fun of andy game. Thus giving this forum days of laughter, which usually last a while then dissapear til Andy says something else... Okay perhaps you are all just playing and ribbing him but guess what...constant ribbing gets old too.

Could you actually treat andy worse? Constantly turning every thing he says against him and almost always going aginst him is already harsh enough IMO...the argument might come up "but he sets himself up to joked on" yes i agree he does but then y don't yall jump on the other people when they do the same thing? Like i said this isn't a call out for andy cause his religious views irk me currently, but man is it really just him that needs to grow up?

Frankly, I think you guys are over reacting to my video comments.

All I did was echo what JDOGG said, with a little elaboration, which simply explained what happened when I saw the blasted thing. I'm not shifting blame here, and I don't think there is any legitimate blame to shift. I'm just saying, I did not attack Mintz personally, I merely said his video was really lumberjackish... which is exactly what everyone was thinking. I'm not apologetic, I don't think I said anything worse than JDOGG did.

Now, as for my later replies to rapture and mintz's over defensive replies, I admit to them being out of line. Especially the one to rapture. I'm sorry, that was completely uncalled for. I should have just left it alone.

Rapture, I think you are hugely exaggerating my... "vendetta" against Mintz. I think you are taking a few, sporadic incidents that, I admit, went too far and I am not proud of, and making into this constant thing that I never cease dwelling on or speaking of. I do not log on here thinking "What can I do to get at Mintz." We have discussed this before, we've been through all this. I thought this was over. Which is why I was surprised to see you and mintz get so offended by my comment.

I have not said much of anything for some time... period, let alone about mintz, and I had vowed to stop being a jerk and be more patient. Which is why I went to such great lengths to try to not go over the line in my original video comment in the first place!!! I did NOT say anything horrible at all!!! I think you and mintz have taken way to much offense to that comment!!!

Furthermore, I have put up with constant "ribbing", which is has been way more over the line than anything in my comment, on XBL, in here, and in person. Some of this "ribbing" was asked for, even deserved, and much of the time knowingly provoked. I don't deny that, at times, I have gotten a kick out of the jokes at my expense. But they have been old for quite some time. I'm tired of it.

And rapture, next time, message me privately. There is no need for this to be public. I think it looks just as bad, if not worse than the "fights" themselves. Definitely not good for THX. I would think you, of all people, would be sensitive to that. You guys want to get after me, talk to me in private.

This is so ridiculous!!! I thought this was freaking over! I apologize for those last two comments, I have stopped saying stupid stuff about mintz, and I would really appreciate it if you guys would just chill out and drop the whole thing!

-Blank-

Forgive me for living life a little and being comfortable with who I am (and I'm not lumberjackish, so don't try to hint at that). I know that's highly discouraged in today's society.

As far as hair goes, I don't even look like I do in that clip anymore.

The obvious comeback to what I wrote is "lol. look at you. you're just as bad as slayer."

But I'm glad you asked this question because that's really my whole point:

Yes, I could treat him worse. I could hold a personal grudge against him without any good reason. I could then levy others to also hold that same grudge.

With Slayer, it seems personal. So, I want to know the reason why Slayer has it out for Mintz. I'm curious as to what Mintz has done.

@ Slayer: It's very public thing that happens on these forums and in our game lobbies. So why should this discussion be kept private?

Everyone who visits this site is going to see these posts. How does that make us look to those other people who come here? It makes us look like a bunch of little girls arguing about nothing important. I have not watched Mintz' video because I really just don't care. But regardless of my personal feelings about any of you, the petty arguments that we seem to have on this site are bad for this forum. I know I'm in no position to tell you all what you should and should not post but for the good of the gaming community we should try to keep these types of things to PMs and other more private forms of communication. I don't need to read everything on this topic to know that most of things you guys are posting are remarks about each other. I just think we should make more of an effort to be nicer to each other, instead of egging each other on all the time. This is just my opinion and should be treated as such.

-Jonathan-

Whatever, your choice.

+1, Jonathan.

Adjectives like "faggiest" and "gayest" are less creative than the video that they call uncreative. That's one thing that irked me.

+2

Whatever, I don't really care anymore. I didn't post that video on the internet thinking everyone would think it's the coolest, straightest thing in the world. I still love you, Andy.

btw Andy, I still have your copy of Burger King's Pocketbike Racer. I have a car now, so maybe we can meet up somewhere and I'll give it to you? You should still have my number.

Um, no... I don't have your number... sorry. And I already bought the game myself, because I didn't think you were serious about actually having it... sorry again.

No big deal; I opened it and sold the XBL trial that came with it for a profit :)