A call about a possible weapon at a middle school prompted police to put armed officers on rooftops, close nearby streets and lock down the school…

Someone called authorities Thursday after seeing a boy carrying something long and wrapped into Marshall Junior High.

In the meantime, more than 30 parents, alerted by a radio report, descended on the school. Visibly shaken, they gathered around in a semi-circle, straining their necks, awaiting news.

“There needs to be security before the kids walk through the door,” said Heather Black, whose son attends the school.

There certainly should be more security! Someone shouldn’t be allowed to walk in with an effin’ assault rifle, even if it was a burrito.

One of those two goofballs on 105.7 - Big O or Dukes - said that he didn’t want to see “Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” because it was ‘like a Harry Potter movie - it’s for kids!’

Big O or Dukes - whichever of you made that comment - KNOWETH ABOUTETH WHATETH YOUETH SPEAKETH!

And remember: Hitchiker’s, The Rotunda, May 1st at 12:30pm.

*UPDATE*

Speaking of Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, feast on Zaphod’s song.

I was a few minutes late to work this morning and so got stuck as the “third wheel.” See, on Fridays, Gary will sometimes schedule a third driver to be available in case business picks up to the point two can’t handle it. If the two can handle it - as they did today - the third driver just works as an insider.

I actually like doing it, on occasion. Sure, you don’t make tips, but on Fridays, with traffic being so effin’ horrible as it is, that’s actually not a bad trade off. I spent my hours in the “back of the house” finishing up the prep list and acting as a “gopher” when any of the front-line folks need stuff - chicken steaks, mozz sticks, a tray of fries, etcetra.

My only disapointment was that Gary hadn’t had a chance to sign and distribute the checks before I left. But I’ll get it tonight, and all the in-the-mail-checks are covered anyway. So, woot!

You know those guys who were all like, “We found a shitload of old money on our property! Buried treasure! Woohoo!”? Well, they were like, lying. Turns out they found the money on a jobsite - hence, it ain’t theirs, and also hence, they done get themselves arrested.

The men made several appearances on national television this week, but police noticed details of the story changed with each appearance.

Police Chief Joseph E. Solomon told ABC’s “Good Morning America” that authorities might never have suspected anything had the men not sought publicity.

“Sometimes wanting to be famous is really the downfall of people,” Solomon said.

Billcliff insisted the discrepancies could be explained.

“It’s like watching a car accident,” he told the newspaper. “Sometimes someone will say something and someone else will say something slightly different, but mostly it’s the same.”

Some people would be happy having found a free seventy-five grand lying around. Others can’t be happy until they’re interviewed on Leno — and actually, I think I heard one of these guys interviewed the other day on Out to Lunch (105.7).

So I bought Star Wars Risk because I am, frankly, a huge fan of Risk. Plus, Star Wars. I own Risk, Castle Risk, Risk 2210AD, Lord of the Rings Risk, I just won Risk Godstorm off eBay, and then of course, Star Wars Risk: The Clone Wars Edition (and Original Trilogy Star Wars Risk comes out in 2006!!!).

I think most people have played Risk. My friend Adam Grishman introduced me to Risk back in the 7th grade, and I’ve been in love ever since. It’s a great game, especially with a full group of six people playing against each other. In high school, I was among a group of friends who would get together once a month - sometimes not as frequently - to battle against each other in a play for world domination. I remember one game we had eight people, so using another edition of the game with different army pieces — they were Roman numerals, I think? — we put two game boards side by side and had a really big war. I don’t think anyone won, because, seriously, having one Asia to fight a war on is bad enough, but two? Gaaah, talk about a nightmare - plus the usual logistics crap, “I’m invading Kamchatka!” “I shall fight you to the last — wait, my Kamchatka or his Kamchatka? Never mind then!”

So I was very excited to get Star Wars Risk, because, really, what could be better than Star Wars Risk? I haven’t played it yet only because playing against myself would, uh, suck? A lot. But I did glance over the rules, and, uh, there are only TWO sides! Yeah, I know, you’re either the Republic or the Separatists, but daaaaaamn this is limiting. Four people can play - two play as the Republic, two as the Separatists. Man, that’s kind of dissapointing - on the other hand, the little pieces — Clone Troopers & big AT-AT lookin’ things on wheels for the Republic, and Super Battle Droids and Droid Tanks for the Separatists — do look pretty cool. Plus there are little cardboard icons representing capital ships and fighters.

My initial reaction is “not quite so happy.” But then, considering how often I’ve played Lord of the Rings Risk and Risk 2210 AD and how often I will play Risk Godstorm — never, just because I’ve never found many Risk fans — what are the chances I’ll ever play Star Wars Risk? Slim < none. That’s okay - I’ll still buy Star Wars Risk: The Original Trilogy Edition.