I think the requirement that blinds must be up for take-off and landing is not one typically found on US-based airlines. I notice they are quite strict about it on Asian/European airlines.

As a previous poster mentioned, here in the US, particularly in warmer climates (such as when you are flying from PHX or LAS, as examples), you will often be asked to actually keep the shades down while the plane is parked at the gate to keep it from getting too warm inside.