Paris Hilton Uses YouTube To Present New Album: She Can Sing!

On August 21st, Paris Hilton presented her new album on YouTube. I've got to admit she can sing and whomever produced her made songs for her voice.

Ok, it's not the most terrific song -- I'm not going to rush out and buy it -- but it's not bad either. It sounds like something I'd hear in a movie.

Here's Paris:

Tom Cruise Dumps Paramount So Paramount Dumps Tom Cruise

The buzz is all around that Paramount dumped Tom Cruise, but if you read the fine print to the story, it was the other way around.

It seems that Paramount reacted childishly to Cruise and Paula Wagner's decision to seek other movie financing. I don't know what they expect to accomplish, other than making a good deal for Cruise and some other organization just by proving his ability to draw headlines.

"Two Live Stews" - Atlanta's 790 Best NFL Program

When I visit my Mom in the Atlanta area, I always tune into AM 790 specifically to hear "The Two Live Stews" .

They're Doug Stewart and Ryan Stewart and are related by blood, and sound like they are. Doug and Ryan are not afraid to be themselves -- which may be "too black" for some -- but it's a formula that works in multicultural Atlanta and one that can work in other places as well.

Hey, they got an ESPY in 2004. What does that tell you?

Doug and Ryan are at their best on NFL Football, and have had some great interviews with many of the league's best including Michael Vick and LeVar Arrington. The Two Live Stews also use their show to talk about some of the issues of the day to the Government's response to Katrina to teenage prostitution. They're hard-hitting and honest in their views.

The Two Live Stews are a welcome formula, especially in a San Francisco Bay Area that suffers from the boaring and watered-down sports talk presented at KNBR. But the fact that they're on in Atlanta and there's no equal in the Bay Area says more positively about that part of America than the San Francisco Bay Area.

In my view, there's always been a weird fear of the expression of African American culture to a mainstream audience in the Bay Area. Someone would point to the fact that the black population here is smaller, but then they'd have to explain the popularity of rap out here as well.

The NFL season starts with The Two Live Stews, listen in!

YouTube Launches Video Ad Platform

Online Media reports...

YouTube Launches Video Ad Platform by Erik Sass, Wednesday, Aug 23, 2006 6:00 AM ET POPULAR VIDEO-SHARING SITE YOUTUBE TUESDAY unveiled new plans for monetizing its service with ads. The company is rolling out a new ad platform that offers two main features--brand channels, where companies can create their own programming, and what YouTube is calling "participatory video ads," some of which direct users to the new brand channels.

The brand channels allow marketers to create their own programming, customize visual content with logos and other graphics, and accumulate audiences. YouTube's participatory video ads appear in the upper right-hand corner of the home page; when users click on them the video begins playing in place, next to a menu of clips posted by users.

That's great, but I wonder if smaller vloggers will be slowly pushed out of view of YouTube viewers by the NBC's of the World.

Hmm...An oppotunity perhaps.

Niners Sign Deal For Jerry Rice To Retire A 49er - NFL.com

Rice to retire with 49ers
NFL.com wire reports

SAN FRANCISCO (Aug. 19, 2006) -- Receiver Jerry Rice will retire as a member of the San Francisco 49ers the week of Aug. 20.

Rice, who holds most of the significant NFL receiving records, won three Super Bowls during 16 years with the 49ers. He will sign a contract Aug. 24 at the 49ers' training complex before making his retirement official, the club officially announced. The wideout will be honored again during halftime of the 49ers' game against the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 19.

The deal for Rice's retirement with the 49ers was informally announced last month.

"This was my home for many years, and this is where so many memories were made," Rice said in a statement. "I thank the entire 49ers organization for the opportunity to stand on the field to say goodbye."

Rice, a 13-time Pro Bowl player, holds NFL records with 1,549 receptions for 22,895 yards and 197 touchdowns. He also leads the league with single-season receiving records of 1,848 yards and 22 touchdowns.

He played four seasons for the Oakland Raiders after San Francisco released him following the 2000 season, reaching the Super Bowl after the 2001 campaign, then suited up for 13 games with Seattle in 2004. He tried out in Denver before retiring from the Broncos last Sept. 3.

"Having Jerry retire as a member of the 49ers is extremely important to Denise and me," owner John York said of his wife, Denise DeBartolo York. "It is equally important to our fans and every former 49ers player that has ever worn the uniform."

Rice, who played at Mississippi Valley State and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame earlier in the month, stirred a minor controversy in 49ers camp earlier in the summer.

On his Sirius satellite radio show, Rice said No. 1 draft pick Alex Smith is "not the quarterback of the future" for the 49ers, and called for those who drafted Smith to be fired. Rice softened his statements in subsequent broadcasts, and Smith said he didn't take offense.

Michael Vick To Ashley Lelie - Blockbuster Trade Nets Falcons New Passing Combo

Wow.

Just when the NFL preseason was getting boaring, we have this. A blockbuster three team trade between the Atlanta Falcons, the Denver Broncos, and The Washington Redskins that ends with the 'Skins getting T.J. Duckett to help improve a running attack damanged by the injury to Clinton Portis and the Atlanta Falcons hiring the speedy wide receiver they've needed for so very long.

The winner in the deal? The Falcons.

Overall, the Atlanta Falcons have made a dramatic series of changes to drastically improve their team, but not so many that overall chemistry and character are negatively impacted. What I mean is that too many changes in personel means a lot of nerw faces to blend together -- just look at the Minnesota Vikings defense of 2005. One can get stary-eyed over star players, but getting them to mesh as a unit is something else.

But I digress.

The Falcons fans can count on their team being in the playoffs at least. Lelie's the cure for what hurts the Falcons. Now, teams have to respect their speed in the receiver spot, which opens up their formidable run game all the more.

New York Woman Fired For..Being A Woman

I can't believe that someone would not only treat a woman this way, but one who's elderly. According to AP:

"WATERTOWN, New York (AP) -- The minister of a church that dismissed a female Sunday School teacher after adopting what it called a literal interpretation of the Bible says a woman can perform any job -- outside of the church."

That's weird. She's been there for 54 years. Why now? This is the 21st Century.

Rather than focus on Iraq and death, President Bush should fly to Watertown NY and make the church give Mary Lambert her job back!