I watched episode 407 of The Office on NBC’s web site tonight, which couldn’t have been interrupted more than 5, 6, maybe 7 times by commercials. As they hoped and expected from a young male representative of the 18-35 demographic, I was left feeling entertained and oddly compelled to buy a new Mazda coupe and/or kill Middle Easterners for the US Navy to support our petrochemical-based foreign policy… neither of which, I reckon, would benefit the world’s second largest corporation and owner of NBC, General Electric, a prominent defense contractor for the US military. I used to think these guys just made toasters.

When you’ve had a few years of relief from constant exposure to commercials, watching a program laced with them feels like getting smacked over the head. They’re relentless.