Good for George, Bad for GDP
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith opens today with yet another clunky title and the dreams of millions of fans, hoping against hope that it won't suck as bad as the last two (count me in that group). While I did see the original Star Wars (excuse me... Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope) 15 times in the first year of release back in '77, I'm a little older and wiser now, and plan on letting the frenzy die down for about a week before even attempting to find a theater. That, and I'm on a plane to the East Coast for the weekend. But really, I'm going with the older and wiser.

Anyhoo, I ran across this little tidbit that could cause Microsoft and other tech companies a bit of worry (good thing the new XBox isn't coming out till later in the year):

The movie's early rave reviews could cost U.S. employers as much as $627 million in lost productivity on Thursday and Friday, said Chicago-based outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., which based its estimates on attendance for the first two days of the previous movies in the trilogy. Information technology workers are most likely to call in sick, Challenger predicted. In case the night gets too late for tonight's just-can't-wait fans, the Web site www.geeksquad.com has a form for workers to download, customize and print out an excuse note to give to employers. One explanation: a "space opera-related sick day."