The Cody News (May 25, 2006)

High Price of Comedy: Fox Just Says No

LOS ANGELES, May 24 — Millions of dollars were spent, sets were ready in Santa Fe, and all was on track for production to start next month on what seemed to be a can't-lose movie for 20th Century Fox: a comedy from the reigning superstars Jim Carrey and Ben Stiller, with Jay Roach, of "Austin Powers" and "Meet the Parents" fame, as director.

Now that the barriers to entry for making AND distributing a movie have all but collapsed, it might not make a lot of sense to overpay some big names to put together a nine-figure comedy deal. Makes sense, no?

Interns? No Bloggers Need Apply

On the first day of his internship last year, Andrew McDonald created a Web site for himself. It never occurred to him that his bosses might not like his naming it after the company and writing in it about what went on in their office.

Ten million checks and balances. Bloggers change everything, man.

U.S. Steelmakers Polish Their Image

The U.S. steel industry, tired of being perceived as dirty and low-tech, is launching an ad campaign aimed at burnishing its image in the eyes of Washington decision makers.

Just shut up with the lobbying and socialist pleas already. Success should be determined by free will, not by working the DC circuit. Sigh.

Banks' Trading In Own Accounts Sifted for Conflict

SYDNEY, Australia -- There's a new hot zone of conflict between banks and regulators. After grappling with conflicts of interest involving stock research, mutual-fund trading abuses and accounting fraud in recent years, securities regulators around the globe are turning their attention to how investment banks handle trading in stocks for their own accounts, known as proprietary trading.

Nah, you don't say?