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Star Wars Sickout

Posted by samzenpus on from the what-would-yoda-do dept.

Brahmastra writes "The New York Post reports that it will cost employers $628,880,000 in lost productivity on the first two days of Star Wars Episode III - Return of the Sith . How many of you are planning to skip at least part of your workday on the first two days?"

19 of 715 comments (clear)

  1. Fine... by MoxCamel · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...so I guess I'll pick up your slack AGAIN!

    1. Re:Fine... by Seumas · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Most single people are used to picking up the slack of parents in the office, anyway. This time, it just gives the other people a chance to cut out for a day and make the family people who are always taking days off or leaving early (without counting it as a vacation or sick day) to cover them.

      Except people like me, of course, who wouldn't see star wars if my company paid me to take the day off and watch it.

    2. Re:Fine... by the_Bionic_lemming · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Dude - I wish I had mod points right now.

      Picking up slack for the office broad that has a "cough cough" sick kid racks up hours. Over the course of a year - in addition to her two weeks of vacation time, and the 5 sick days and a personal day, she racked up close to 130 hours of "Oh I gotta leave" time.

      That's not counting her smoker time outside - which she managed to do at least ten minutes out of each hour.

      --
      _ _ _ Go for the eyes Boo! GO FOR THE EYES!
    3. Re:Fine... by Xugumad · · Score: 5, Insightful

      *looks at parent* *looks at your message* *looks at parent*

      Huh? As far as I can tell you've read a little too far between the lines. Your message's parent seemed to just be complaining that they were expected to put in more time to make up for people with families.

      In particular, I see no reason for you to complain about being expected to work as many hours as the single people do. If your job demands more hours than you can provide, get a job that doesn't, don't expect others to pick up the slack because you feel we have more time available than you.

      Admittadely, flexibility may be an issue; if something needs rushed to completion, or you genuinely need to be away from work to look after a sick kid, I don't mind throwing in some extra time, but I expect for you to put in extra hours later to make up for it, and let me take it easy for a bit.

      On a related note; for those of us who are single, particularly long term single, free time for our social lives is key to changing that. Or would you prefer we stay single so we can continue to spend more time at work so you can keep a job that expects more hours than you have available?

    4. Re:Fine... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Only on Slashdot do the conservative, boring parents go by names like "Profane MuthaFucka".

  2. Jobs? What jobs? by luna69 · · Score: 5, Funny

    What self-respecting SW fan still has a JOB? They're all in line already. The loss will be negligible. There might even be a net increase in productivity.

    --
    No gods, no demons, and no masters. Secular Humanism!
    1. Re:Jobs? What jobs? by TheWanderingHermit · · Score: 5, Funny

      Actually, I'm glad I have the job I do. The boss has already done the same thing he did 3 years ago: He declared the day St. Lucas day, closed down the business, and paid for everyone in the company to come along and see the movie.

      We have strange holidays. In the past few years, we've had 3 St. Tolkein days, 3 St. Rowling days, a St. Roddenberry day, a few St. Warchowski Days, and even one or two St. Lee days (which he also called St. Stan-the-man days). Oh, and last Friday was St. Adams day, but there was some confusion about exactly when that day was, since everyone had towels wrapped around their heads so the ravenous bugblatter beast of Traal couldn't see us.

      Ahhhh.

      It's good to be the boss.

    2. Re:Jobs? What jobs? by michaeldot · · Score: 5, Funny

      So how long has your boss been the manager of the comic book store?

  3. Cross-promotion by FunWithHeadlines · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Wait, let me get this straight: The New York Post is hyping how popular they think the Fox Movie studio distributing the movie Revenge of the Sith will be. OK, let's see...New York Post (owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp). Check. Fox (owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp). Check. Cross-promotion? Check. Getting Slashdot to hype this to the fanboys? Check.

    Somehow, I'm not a bit surprised. :)

  4. I'm going, but so is my staff by pwnage · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Not only am I going to Star Wars next week, I'm planning on taking my staff as well. So I guess I'll be the one responsible for the loss of productivity in my own area. Oh well, c'est la vie.

    --
    Reminder: Apple owns 1/255th of the internet.
  5. In other news... by shakezula · · Score: 5, Funny

    Star Wars Episode III will also consume 38.75% of the total available Internet bandwidth once a 1337 CAM is torrented.

    --
    I know what you're thinking. Did I forward 65,535 packets or 65,536 packets?
  6. Did anyone else notice... by DanthemaninVA1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...that they got the title of the movie wrong?

  7. I don't buy it by pyite · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's a flawed analysis. They study implies that these people otherwise wouldn't have these days off. People who get vacation time tend to either take it when they can so as not to lose it, or they accrue it to cash in later. It's as much a part of compensation as actual pay. On the other hand, hourly employees who don't get vacation time are only costing themselves money, so there's no business loss. *Sigh*, more people who think they can model the world with incredibly flawed assumptions.

    --

    "Nature doesn't care how smart you are. You can still be wrong." - Richard Feynman

    1. Re:I don't buy it by bcrowell · · Score: 5, Funny
      Projected economic losses from people cutting work to go to Star Wars III:
      • $628,880,000
      Projected economic losses from rioting if it has Jar Jar in it:
      • $843,111,644.77
      Projected economic losses from decreased self-esteem when people realize they got lured into paying to see this one, too:
      • $948,362,210.03
      --
      Find free books.
  8. My Faith in Speculation is Still Waining... by Jinsaku · · Score: 5, Informative
    From the article:

    The findings are based on the assumption that attendance during the first two days will match that of the last "Star Wars" blockbuster, "Episode II -- Attack of the Clones," which attracted 9.4 million people in in 2002.

    Challenger estimates that 4.8 million of those opening-day attendees are employed at least 35 hours per week. With those full-timers earning an average of $130.60 per day, the two-day cost in terms of lost wages and productivity would be a staggering $626,880,000, he said.

    So, even estimating that their 4.8 million figure is right, they assume that all of these 4.8 million people will skip the entire day to watch a 2 hour movie? Not only do those attendance figures for episode 2 include midnight showings the previous night (I went the the 12:01 and was into work bright and early the next morning), but they don't even realize that probably *half* the showtimes are *after* work hours. I know a lot of people that are catching the Thursday or Friday evening of the show. Granted, there is a hit to production, but it's nowhere *near* the figure they speculate in the article.

    --
    -- Jinsaku
  9. Re:Don't forget lost education.... by StratoChief66 · · Score: 5, Funny

    dude, your sig is awesome, either that or you should really take a look at your sig cause Mike fuckin hates you.

    --
    Frylock: "We should have cloned twenties, Jackson wouldn't have given a fuck."
  10. "loss" of productivity? by EvilStein · · Score: 5, Funny

    Pffft. They're assuming that any of us were productive to begin with. Judging by the sheer volume of posts on Slashdot these days, productivity is a pipe dream.

    I think that firewalling Slashdot would wipe out any financial losses caused by geeks taking time off to see Episode III.

    Then again, we're taking a work sponsored outing to see the movie. heh.

  11. Re:Why do we measure things with money? by TheGavster · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You can't ride a bike or hike in those fancy shoes if the people decide to not work the factories anymore. Most people's idea of recreation requires a good deal of industry to be as enjoyable as it is. You work hard to give yourself the ability to take some time off and enjoy the fruits of humanity's labors.

    --
    "Because Science" is one step from "Because old book". Try "Because of my experiment testing my falsifiable assertion".
  12. You work to live, you don't live to work. by EnronHaliburton2004 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm also 22, and work twice as many hours a week...

    Call me when you're done working 80 hour weeks for 3 years and we'll talk

    I think most of us have been there, including Motherfucker. If you're not careful, you're going to burn out before you're 30. These are your prime years. Use them wisely.

    And don't fool yourself, working 80 hours a week is NOT twice as productive as working 40 hours a week. Not even close.

    Look when you're older and have kids, you have a good idea of what's important. Get the shit done in 8 hours. Go home and spend time doing the stuff that really matters. Anything else is probably a waste of your life.

    The other guy has more experience, and figured out how to get the job done in a shorter amount of time.

    --
    94% of Repubs and 21% of Dems voted to renew the Patriot Act