Random question I had today…how do channels like Disney and Nickelodeon get ratings? From what I understand all ratings data is from Neilsen guides…do they have kids filling them out? Do they draw from a random sample of cable boxes? So some Neilsen families get a box and they do it that way?

Also uh…Legend of Korra Book 4 is on Nick if you know…anyone is interested in that.

Can we still go ahead with the radio ban anyway or would it be improper now? Does someone have a rule book handy?

Yeah, I mean I don't get my paycheck by saving puppies or creating high art all day either. Good for him for using his money to do some good.

Or she falls for Maya.

Tough on viewers? Really? Unless they are going too fast I guess. I can understand an argument that they would take away from the other visual aspects of the show but I have never found subtitles to be cumbersome unless I'm hoping to actively do something else while half paying attention to something.

I think I'm less hard on the show than I should be because I'm just head over heels for the premise but I like your read of it. A couple things that irked me:

I thoguht it was a bit funny that the American characters were broad stereotypes just like the Arab ones.

I think it's just watching on TV. I went to a college game once and had a blast while being much more successful following the puck. Also, I was drunk from the football game I'd gone to earlier in the day.

Eventually, after lifting weights for football in the fall I learned I could just plow over everyone.

Ok, that's what I suspected and I tend to agree. As others have pointed out though, there are ways of shoe-horning adds into games. Broadcast Projections on the field, banners on the sidelines and in the stadium, short announcer ad breaks like on the radio, sponsorship on the jersey's etc. They also have the added…

Agreed. I always liked it for that. Also you aren't committing to 3 god damned hours every game. It's a pretty lean time commitment as a spectator.

Surely you don't mean it's unpopular with fans because it lacks commercials? I do agree that the lack of money it could conceivably bring in to a network selling ad time like they would any another sport limits its chances of being in good broadcast slots though.

We used to do it in middle school because one of forwards was really fast and really good. My job was to knock their guy over and kick the ball as hard as I could down field so he could put it in.

It's a time killer strategy. If you pass the ball around on your half, they can intercept it and put in a quick counter. By booting it out, they need to collect it and send it back before mounting a reasonable counter which allows your team time to reset the defense and prepare. We were ahead of Ghana and were…

Good point. I find it hard to like sports I never played. Everything about hockey and Stanley cup fervor draws me to it but every time I sit down to the watch the game I'm bored because I don't see the puck and don't get all what's happening.

I thought the US team's nickname was somewhat unofficially - 'The Yanks'

I missed a lot of class in college because while getting ready I'd turn the TV on and West Wing reruns would be in full effect.

I felt like it was a bit out of place. It was either to set up a fun cut to Kings Landing (was the next scene in King's Landing?) or foreshadowing a possible spoilerly reveal down the line.

Yep, I know. I grew up here. Most of the population lives in the cities though, which is where a lot for the progressive movements stem from. I will say that I have been consistently surprised and impressed with some progressive attitudes from people I have met from small towns. They just don't put as much weight…