Game of Thrones from television most used on the Internet. In 2012, the media used "Game of Thrones" as a figure of speech or comparison for situations of intense conflict and deceit, such as the 2012 United States Supreme Court decision regarding healthcare reform legislation, the Syrian Civil War and the ousting of Bo Xilai from the Chinese government. "Khaleesi" has increased in popularity as a name for baby girls in the United States. In the novels and the TV series, "khaleesi" is the title of the wife of a khal (warlord) in the Dothraki language held by Daenerys Targaryen, and not actually
Regal Cinemas offices were closed. Regal and United Artists had attempted to merge before in 1998, using a similar method. Investment firms Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst announced plans to acquire Regal, then merge it with UA (which would be bought by Hicks, Muse) and Act III (controlled by KKR), with the new company using the Regal Cinemas name. UA eventually dropped out of the merger, but the merger between Regal and Act III went through. As Regal consolidated the three chains, CineMedia began work on a new digital distribution system to provide a new "preshow", replacing the