Such boldness could be prompted by the network's desperate need to overcome a long-term ratings slump.
So what in the world could be prompting the Comcast chief executive, Brian Roberts, to start down this accursed path?
The real verdict, of course, will come during the next federal election, which could be prompted by a defeat of any portion of the budget introduced Thursday.
There is an extra weekend between Thanksgiving and Christmas, compared with last year, which could be prompting some shoppers to spread out their spending.
The gains could be prompted by an unexpected piece of corporate or economic news, or they could simply come from investors who think that stocks have fallen too far, too fast, and that they are ready to turn.
Mr Arafat quickly saw the way the wind was blowing and released the students.More ominously, Hizbullah's example could be prompting a revival of "the armed struggle" by Mr Arafat's main rival, the Islamist movement, Hamas.
There can be criminal or civil penalties for violating campaign finance laws, although it is as yet unclear what fresh angle of investigation, if any, could be prompted by the latest developments.
Joshi, a research fellow at the defence thinktank the Royal United Services Institute, said the US could be prompted into setting up buffer zones in Syria if there were more cross border incidence and an increase in refugees.
Moreover, said Christopher Low, an economist at HSBC Markets Inc., further consumer spending could be prompted by a spate of mortgage refinancings resulting from lower interest rates and by early income tax refunds.
Even if private electricians could be prompted by concerned citizens to fix problems without running afoul of the local council, it'd still carry the baggage of fixing the wealthier neighbourhoods at a disproportionately high rate.
The boyfriend's attack on the girl could be prompted by nothing more than a male classmate's innocently asking the girl for an answer to a homework question.
