Irish American George Carlin would have been pleased to hear it, now you can say $!*%#@ on television, albeit fleetingly. And we have U2's Bono to thank for it.

Here's the timeline:

In 2004 the Federal Complaints Commission (FCC) reversed its 2003 decision on Bono’s Golden Globes gleeful profanity, ruling that fleeting uses of expletives are no longer protected. There was no retroactive fine.

In 2006, led by Fox, the four major networks sued the FCC over the Bono episode and other rulings.

This month the Second Circuit Court of Appeals rolled back the standards to 1978 levels. If the FCC appeals, the Supreme Court could overturn or modify that landmark decision.

Should the Supreme Court take up the issue, it faces the question: Why should broadcasters be subjected to standards that apply to no other media?