Satellite TV companies are not like cable TV companies -- and that's a long-term problem. They don't have the extra-revenue-generating businesses, especially home and mobile phone services, that cable TV operators have.

Turned on my TV Tuesday morning to learn of government shutdown. But non-related TV messaging didn't stop. On ESPN, none of that morning's commercials for Golden Corral, Stihl chain saws, and Castrol Edge referred to not being able to get stamps for mail, or what to do with my time now I cannot get into a national park. It was business as usual -- for the moment.