So Did the Hordes Really Skip out for Episode 2?

gabec asks: "A few days ago Slashdot reported that thousands of people were going to call in sick so they could go check out the new Star Wars movie. Virtually the entirety of the computer services department at my university is taking the day off in unison to go see the show. I expect the whole school to implode that day. So my question is, how many Slashdot readers really did skip out of work for Star Wars Episode 2?" Those wacky geeks over at General Protection Fault probably said it the best. I think a high truancy rate was only to be expected. Funny thing to note: timothy and I went to see Spider-Man, yesterday and we were the only two people in that theatre. Three guesses where everyone else went, and the first two don't count.

Comments

Poll?

[QuodEratDemonstratum]

Wouldn't this be better as a poll?

Did you miss work to see starwars
O Yes.
O No.
O Cowboy Neal went and told me what happened when he got back.

My vote is "No"

Re:Poll?

[tswinzig]

That's horrible wording in the poll... I skipped work to see the movie, but I sure didn't "miss" work!

I had an important meeting

[Wateshay]

I would have skipped out of work to go see Episode II, but I had an important companywide meeting that I had to be at.

Of course, the companywide meeting just happened to located in the theater that was showing AotC, and lasted exactly the length of the movie.

This Could Only HELP the Economy

[dmomo]

I don't know why everyone was so worried that the whole IT world would skip out to go watch Episode II.

How can this hurt the economy? The largest pool of unemployed labor is out spending money!

Yes, I am a CS guy. Yes, I am unemployed. Yes, I spent $8.50 to see AOTC. Yes, I payed to much for refreshments.

Company organized trips good for morale

[skuenzli]

My manager (a genuine SW fan) organized a trip to the theater to see SW:AotC on opening day. The company didn't pay for the tickets, but everyone was excited to:
a) see Star Wars before everyone else did (including their kids)
b) spend some time together where there was no pressure to perform

As an employee of a company that has seen 4-5 layoffs over the past year and a half, and a member of a group that recently completed a very stressful project, I can say this trip was the best thing anyone has done for my group's morale and general stress level in at least six months (and it didn't really cost the company anything). Of course, that probably means we should have been doing stuff like this all along.

Stephen

P.S. For those about to say that it cost the company 20 man hours for my group to go see this movie, just take it out of my 'overtime account'. There's about 500 unpaid hours in there already for this year.

too late

[ComSon0]

Well, I tried...
- called the boss saying I had to go to the doc
- got the Jedi outfit
- went to the movies looking like a retard
- tickets sold-out five guys in front of me in line.
- went back home and contenplated suicide
- girlfriend came over and felt kinda hot for the jedi outfit

happy happy end :)

Re:When Yoda started fighting LOL!

[sessamoid]

I noticed something funny here in Norway. When Yoda started fighiting, everybody in the theatre started laughing! I laughed too! And when he was finished fighting, he took his stick and started looking old again.

Funny, yes. Unrealistic, no. I remember seeing a demonstration by a competing team's fencing coach/master a long time ago. This guy was one of the best in the world in his prime, but well into his elder years spent most of his time just teaching and walking around with the assistance of a cane.

However, put a blade in this old guy's hand, and he was suddenly transformed from a decrepit-looking fragile elderly person into a graceful, dangerous foe. I saw him whip one of his own students who was at the time representing the US in the World University Games. After the bout, he picked up his cane and limped back to the sidelines.