Star Wars Sickout 715
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?"
Fine... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Fine... (Score:5, Interesting)
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.
Re:Fine... (Score:5, Insightful)
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.
Re:Fine... (Score:3, Insightful)
I seriously hate that. If your smoking impedes your work that much, maybe it's a sign that you should quit. Imagine if I took five minutes out of every hour to go out to the lobby and masturbate?
I think smokers should be put in a seperate part of the building with modified circulation systems that don't affect the rest of the building. No more smoke-break excuses. You want to smoke two packs a day during work? Great. But do it at your desk, hunkered over your work.
Re:Fine... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Fine... (Score:5, Insightful)
Huh?! They are not in control, buddy, the ciggies are.
They are heading out like clockwork because they are *ADDICTED*.
The monkey says, "Light up! NOW!!"
I got tired of losing out on "smoke breaks", so I started taking my own breaks when I needed them - at 30 to 50 minutes per pop. Just hop up and vaporize.
Where's Juddy? Smoke break - carton at a time...
Re:Fine... (Score:4, Insightful)
Your time is your own, what you choose to do with it is nobody's business but yours. I can understand going easy on people with obvious outside commitments (such as a family, sick relative, evening course, etc), but not being harder on you just because you had free time.
What you were being told was effectively "you have no-one to complain when you work late, so we own you". Fuck that.
It could be worse ... (Score:5, Interesting)
In law school, there is the famous case of 4 guys who were adrift at sea and nearing death from starvation. 3 had wives and families, one was young and just starting his career. The 3 older men decided they'd kill the younger as the younger had the least to lose and they'd eat him. That's what they did. They were rescued the next day.
So this reasoning has been used for worse consequences than your situation
BTW, the 3 were convicted but later released with time served. Apparently, public opinion was that the 3 were reasonable in what they did, as they didn't know they'd be rescued.
Re:It could be worse ... (Score:3, Interesting)
It should have been the 3 with families that should sacrifice for the single guy. They already passed on their genes and burned up a bunch of their potential, while the yo
Re:Fine... (Score:5, Insightful)
It also helps to have a company that actually enforces sick/personal time. I get a lump of hours to use for being sick, doctors appointments for both me AND my family. If I need to stay home with a sick kid, I lose the hours. If I need to pick him up from school early, I lose the hours. If your company doesn't enforce it, then blame your company as well.
Re:Fine... (Score:5, Insightful)
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?
Re:Fine... (Score:3, Insightful)
I don't care what someone's excuses are for not being able to do their job or not being able to put in the extra effort that someone else
Re:Fine... (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Fine... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Fine... (Score:3, Funny)
Want to, yes, but we are Slashdot singles.
Re:Fine... (Score:3, Insightful)
You work to live, you don't live to work. (Score:5, Insightful)
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.
Re:Fine... (Score:3, Insightful)
If you count the tax savings, daycare savings, only needing 1 car savings, not going out for dinner so often savings, piece of mind that your children are being raised the way you want them to savings, and then stop and think if you really need the $500K home, or the $30K car, the 5K entertainment system, the name brand food thats the same as the no nam
Re:Fine... (Score:3, Interesting)
Parents will inevitably need
Re:Fine... (Score:5, Funny)
Or, as I read it, "George Lucas will be $628,880,000 richer in the first two days..."
At least it's better than the first two! (Score:5, Funny)
At least this is going to be better than the first two. They were so bad that I had to take the *next* day off sick just to recover.
Re:Fine... (Score:4, Insightful)
Most people who are salaried are usually already putting in more than 40 a week. Anyone who is on the clock won't have to be paid during the time they are not at work (unless they are dishonest, in which case they are already probably screwing their employer). And losers on government subsidies already in line outside the theatres will finally be able to get back to playing Star Wars Stratego at home instead of in the rain!
Overall I think it is better for the economy than worse.
Re:Why do we measure things with money? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Why do we measure things with money? (Score:5, Funny)
Because money is fungible.
Is money God?
Yes, see above. But, God is not fungible so God is not money.
Is money happiness?
Yes, see above. But, happiness is not fungible so happiness is not money.
Or is money just something the rich dangle to make the poor jump through hoops??
Yes, see above. But, poor jumping through hoops are not fungible, so poor jumping through hoops is not money.
Re:Probably most companies will make a profit (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Probably most companies will make a profit (Score:3, Interesting)
Sad I know.
Jobs? What jobs? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Jobs? What jobs? (Score:5, Funny)
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.
Re:Jobs? What jobs? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Jobs? What jobs? (Score:4, Funny)
I hereby submit my resume for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Everyone on slashdot.
Got my 12:01am Thursday tickets... (Score:2)
Don't forget lost education.... (Score:2)
Re:Don't forget lost education.... (Score:2)
Re:Don't forget lost education.... (Score:5, Funny)
work? (Score:2)
Fuck that (Score:2, Interesting)
Cross-promotion (Score:5, Insightful)
Somehow, I'm not a bit surprised. :)
Re:Cross-promotion (Score:3, Insightful)
This appears to be actually official policy in News Corp - many of its organs are used to cross-promote the others. This is most noticeable when it's grating, such as Sky News showing up in 20C Fox movies, but they can also be fairly subtle - such as this example.
The British satirical magazine Private Eye [private-eye.co.uk] has a fairly regular section devoted exposing News Corp. cross-media plugs.
Re:Cross-promotion (Score:4, Insightful)
I'm going, but so is my staff (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:I'm going, but so is my staff (Score:3, Insightful)
or not
California alone would be around the 5th largest economy in the world and it has about half the population of France.
USA GDP per capita $40,100
France GDP per capita $28,700
This is Ridic. (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:This is Ridic. (Score:4, Funny)
No seriously, cheap plastic swords made in China are probably more than sufficient to keep anyone who would steal a ticket to Star Wars at bay.
In other news... (Score:5, Funny)
Already planned out... (Score:2, Informative)
Remember though... safety in numbers .. get a large group together and you'll likely stave off any tight-assed managers from complaining.
Funny math (Score:2, Insightful)
So, if I want to go to a 7pm showing, I'll be costing my company my time for the whole day?
Something smells a little fishy..
Did anyone else notice... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Did anyone else notice... (Score:3, Funny)
They could call it "Star Warz Episode Tres: Moneybags" and the same people would see it anyways.
Revenge of the S... (Score:3, Funny)
I don't buy it (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:I don't buy it (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I don't buy it (Score:5, Insightful)
Actually it's a stupid story. Why don't they write a story about lost productivity around November 15th - the start of hunting season?
double standard (Score:5, Funny)
Oh wait, the double standard.
Picking on geeks is easy. Picking on religion, the boomers who run business, and minorities isn't. Its like the New York Post is high school all over again.
Uh no (Score:2)
That, and Serenity.
Hype it up baby! (Score:2)
I just hope that the improvements in the second part of Episode 2 continue in this sequel.
Since when did time off cost anyone anything? (Score:2, Interesting)
CONSUME (Score:2)
reference to They Live
Recoverable or not? Accrued for or not? (Score:2)
If the person makes up for it by working harder or coming in over the weekend, then the lost time is recovered. Lost opportunity is another matter and harder to measure.
It isn't as simple as adding up all the hours and multiplying by the hourly wage, but then again, I don't think the target demographic of the NY Post is people with MBAs.
I told my boss.... (Score:2)
Just call me Skippy (Score:2)
But, seriously, it's pretty common for people to skip out or come in late to work when there is something they really want to do. A couple of my co-workers recently took a 3-hour lunch to go and play golf. They made up their work hours and got their assigned work done. I've found that most employers don't care if you take a few hours off every once in a while as long as you get your work completed.
Responsibility? (Score:2)
Better question (Score:2)
Judging by people I know and myself out of every 10 who plan to go first day only 2-3 will make it.
but, on the plus side... (Score:2, Funny)
sick? (Score:5, Funny)
It finally comes together (Score:2)
I thought it was stupid to have Anakin and Kenobi guard the princess in AOTC, but in light of ROTS it's clear that Padme is about as unsettling on Anakin as Palpatine is. When Anakin kills the village of sandpeople she doesn't take him to task, and actually goads him into disobeying the Jedi counsel in going to Geonosis.
Finally, it's the fa
(obligatory) (Score:2)
people missing work because of SW? (Score:2)
Hmmm sounds awfull... (Score:3, Interesting)
Company Pays (Score:2)
Fringe benefit to working at an uber-geek company.
-Charles
Got annual leave approved... (Score:2)
Got it approved too, despite having the reason field saying "Recovering from Star Wars midnight session"
And if you're wondering "why gold class?", it's simply because we don't trust the movie to be any good. With gold class we'll at least have very comfy seats, snacks brought in to us, and no screaming kids in the cinema (we booked out the entire gold
At 31 Yers Old... (Score:2)
Well I already have my physical tickets hanging from my 'fridge [fandango.com]. I also flat-out told my managers (yes plural...
Re:At 31 Yers Old... (Score:3, Funny)
Skip work? (Score:2)
My Faith in Speculation is Still Waining... (Score:5, Informative)
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.
Work related (Score:2)
Plan not... (Score:2)
Star Wars vs Slashdot (Score:2)
When is the movie coming out? (Score:2)
5 words (Score:2)
My job is making a trip out of it.. (Score:2)
Apparently someone here thinks that going to see it, overall, isn't a loss. Furthermore, they think paying for us to go see it isn't a loss.
Any programmers need a job? I need co-workers.
That's crazy man (Score:2)
Are you shitting me? (Score:2)
Mark me as a troll if you must, but after the last two anyone who still bothers to camp in line or blow off work to see a new one has a learning curve like Kansas.
My employer... (Score:2)
Co-workers and I can't complain!
not me (Score:2)
Yes, George doesn't owe me anything, but I don't owe him anything either.
The New York Post is hardly journalism. (Score:3, Insightful)
The Darker side (Score:4, Funny)
No (Score:3, Interesting)
Serenity...I'm skipping work for that.
Official Excuse Note (Score:5, Funny)
"loss" of productivity? (Score:5, Funny)
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.
If You Can't Fight Them, Join Them (Score:4, Interesting)
Cost to business? WTF?! (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Cost to business? WTF?! (Score:3, Insightful)
A better system for days off is - in my company anyway, Paid Time Off. Basically, let's say you are entitled to 2 weeks vacation and 5 sick days per year, that's a total of 15 days. So they just give us 15 days off, paid, for any reason or purpos
Certainly makes sense (Score:3, Funny)
Mega spoiler: Anakin is DARTH VADER!! (Score:3, Funny)
Now you don't need to take a day off! It's good for us casual workers who don't get sick leave.
Wait... (Score:3, Funny)
Christmas. (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Skipping work cost ME (Score:2)
However, you cite being "out of town" as a reason for not seeing it in theaters. Just how "out of town" will you be that there won't be a theater showing this nearby?
Re:Not to be a spoilsport here... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:slashdotters, land of the lemmings (Score:3, Funny)
Re:What's this "Star Wars" thing? (Score:3, Funny)