> So, NBC has me held hostage and there is nothing I can do about it! GRRR! (This is in the U.S.)
>
> First of all, nothing is live, so I have to watch it when they decide they want to show it. Second, because it is not live, they can drag it out as much as they want. So, when they say, "Coming up, see Super Stud go for the world record in Shuffleboard," they mean, "After this commercial, we are going to prep you for the shuffleboard competition by telling you how Super Stud was decapitated as a child by dental floss and how he overcame this setback to get where he is now despite having a club foot and a goiter, too. Then, we'll drag it out even more with some more commercials and high tech wizardry." OK, great, tell me the stories about the athletes, that is fine, but don't interrupt every event with it. Show me the story, then show me the event! If I wanted soap operas, I'll watch General Hospital. Basically, I want to see the olympics, so show me. Instead, when I want to see something, I either have to sit around for hours waiting for it to FINALLY come on or I can tape it and watch it later. How ironic and stupid is that?
>
> Hopefully it is better when I get home and and I'll have MSNBC and CNBC to watch, but I doubt it.
>
> Fer"My 2 cents"rick

They tell me that, in the trade, those big lies that begin with "Coming up..." are called teasers.
The object is to keep your thumb off the clicker.
Howard