Transcript

NEAL CONAN, HOST:

Advertising executives gathered in New York City last week to get their first look at the fall primetime television lineup. The four big networks announced decisions to cancel some shows, including stalwarts like "CSI: Miami" and "Desperate Housewives." And they also welcomed newcomers, including lots and lots of new comedies. But this is all happening against the backdrop of a dwindling audience. It used to be that the network's losses were cable televisions gain, but cable ratings are also down.

We'll get back to real news in no time, but we just couldn't resist a couple of curious details that a Sunday Times' interview (pay-wall) with Queen Elizabeth's sylist for 11 years revealed.

Inside a plywood shack at a combat outpost in Marjah, in Afghanistan's Helmand province, three Marines sit before a bank of computers provided by the military to help keep up morale. The dingy outpost is made up of a collection of tents where troops live among swarms of flies and the constant hum of generators.

Even though the presidential nomination process is effectively over, Kentuckians can still vote for candidates other than Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama in tomorrow's primary. Republicans can cast ballots for Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul, even though they're no longer in the running. And Democrats will be able to choose 'uncommitted' instead of President Obama.

But University of Louisville political scientist Dewey Clayton says those other names don't really matter.