I’ve heard this already described as a ‘character blog’: Podcasting is hot. But it just got hotter. Paris Hilton invites you to join her on “The Paris Hilton Podcast — Countdown to House of Wax,” beginning on April 29.

Socialtext raised a Series B round of venture capital. That’s the only clue I’m going to give you, clues are out there.

Editor’s Note: How hard is it for you to determine the difference between paid placements and organic listings when it comes to search engine results? A study by Consumer Reports WebWatch determined the average Joe Internet user has a harder time doing so.

Reaffirming its heralded position as guardian of global culture (cheese, wine, literature, extended vacations, and things that smell), the French and other EU nations have mustered up enough dander to protect the world against latest “risk of crushing American domination” Google.

Operation Matrix investigation of stolen hardware and software in Silicon Valley wraps up with nine convictions.

Clear Channel Communications is spinning off its live entertainment unit to shareholders and selling 10% of shares in its billboard business.

eBay has reached a preliminary settlement in a consolidated shareholder derivative lawsuit.

Business blogs are catching on with more and more businesses. Traditional websites are beginning to add a blog component to their content.

Popular portal site also delivers My Web beta to users, offering web search saving and bookmark sharing.

Constantin Basturea has put together an excellent listing of posts, podcasts and video clips that bloggers have posted about Les Blogs.

NASA study seems to show the Earth absorbs a lot of energy and releases very little back to space.

When NASA officials came out of a meeting about the May 22 launch date of Discovery, they were hush-hush about the outcome, refusing to answer questions. They may have underestimated the moxie a reporter can have.

Users in Twenty countries have reported outbreaks of the Cabir virus, which spreads from phone to phone.

Fast Company: Podcasting is the newest disruptive technology threatening traditional radio — and making the satellite guys nervous, too.

These days an internet marketing strategy plays a vital part of small business marketing strategies (or any size business marketing strategies for that matter). Web site marketing is an important part of just about any business, small or large.

Dell’s CEO announces the addition of 2,000 jobs to its Indian operations in Bangalore, while several US states see unemployment rise above the national average.

Retailer Saks Incorporated has big plans for its Saks Department store group business segment.

American Airlines is increasing most domestic U.S. and U.S.-Canada fares by $5 one-way and $10 round-trip.

Oil futures start back down in early trading this morning with light sweet crude down 24 cents before the floor opens. Brent North Sea crude was down about 13 cents as well.

Roger L. Simon has just posted anOpen Letter to All Bloggers announcing that he and a couple of others …

The chief criteria for judging an ecommerce shopping cart are the number of credit card processors and shipping services it supports, and the number of people that support it.

Move by British lawmakers to legalize and regulate online gambling businesses sure to anger American counterparts.