The story: Two British guys adopt a lion cub in 1969, raise it for a couple years and then release it into the wild. Later, the pair go to to Africa to visit their old friend. Despite warnings that the cub will no longer recognize its old friends, it decides not to maim them. Or something. Anyway, watch the clip below and trust me, you'll squirt a few drops. 13 million others have, which is exactly why, during these troubled economic times, Sony Pictures just announced it plans to adapt the clip for a feature called "A Lion Called Christian."

Naturally companies like Wu Yi Source, which had an placed by AdSense when I dropped by, would certainly be offended that their ancient Chinese weight loss secret might be associated with a display of svelte bodies. The blog is now looking for another advertiser, and have promised that their next photo compositing contest will feature Google cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin in compromising — and AdSense-unfriendly — positions.

Watch both the city of light test shoot and the meditation on skateboarding as HD clips from Vimeo and you won't be disappointed.

Pranky crank film professor Arnold Baskin, a teacher at New York University, asked my class last fall why they preferred film over digital. "Because it's more magical," replied a classmate. Not to be too much of a shill for the company started by Oakley shades magnate Jim Jannard, but Red's digital cinematography efforts have created their own, more than estimable, magic — and at a relative bargain price of $1,250 a day and $3,750 a week for a rental in Los Angeles.

I've just agreed to write a movie for Sony and producer Scott Rudin about how Facebook was invented. I figured a good first step in my preparation would be finding out what Facebook is, so I've started this page. (Actually it was started by my researcher, Ian Reichbach, because my grandmother has more Internet savvy than I do and she's been dead for 33 years.)

One reason why we're optimistic this Sorkin is the real one: As a writer he's always shown a taste for procedural stories — using the detailed inner workings of politics, law and show business to craft his plots. Plus, from A Few Good Men, we know he's good at the courtroom scenes, which will come in handy once his researcher turns up the many disputes over Facebook's founding.

As Defamer points out:

Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes cited a 60%-70% profit margin during a VOD trial for Warner Bros. films on cable — more than twice the return on Time Warner DVD rentals.

Primarily through new ventures that not only go around the studios, but around traditional distribution entirely. While the networks and studios all have subsidiaries producing content strictly for online distribution, the talent contracts are still typical pay-as-you-go deals (and meager at that). Agencies have been most enthusiastic about new busines models — probably because they're already realizing efficiencies in terms of talent discovery using the Internet, which allows them to get around scouts and managers and reach new faces easily and cheaply.

A number of agencies have begun embracing new models. 60frames, an online video startup, took $3.5 million in venture funding and was incubated by the United Talent Agency. Creative Artists Agency is assembling a $200 million venture fund with partner Draper Fisher Jurvetson. International Creative Management is reportedly talking to Qualcomm about raising their own cash. And William Morris has helped back a $500 million SPAC to fund M&A deals, with Ashton Kutcher serving on the board. The draw for the agencies is the ability to own a piece of the company that distributes work from their own talent stables.

The only problem is, that gives them a conflict of interest when negotiating with the studios. Why pitch deals to the studio for the standard 10 percent cut when in-house deals would result in agency fees and back-end profits? And no one knows how this will shake out for talent. As LivePlanet producer Sean Bailey pointed out to reporter Laura M. Holson, "People in Silicon Valley too want their pound of flesh."

(Photo by Getty/Sharon Dominick)

• Fans versus friends: Be careful who you call a friend, especially in public. Because they may very well publicly deny said friendship. Awkward! Instead, say you're a fan — you show your respect without requiring their reciprocation. On the other hand, be nice to your own fans, since they're the ones who rabidly defend you in the comments and show up to your parties.
• Pre-empt gossip: Get caught snogging someone of the wrong age, class or gender? See a flash pop as you lean into that pile of drugs for a whiff? Spin it in public yourself before the gossip hounds and rumor mill can spin it for (and against) you.
• Think before you publish: Every appearance made and project undertaken by a star is considered from multiple career angles before it's agreed to. You might call your Twitter updates about bowel movements "radical personal transparency." Others call it "bad business decision."
• Personal grooming: You might be able to show up on the Google campus in a t-shirt, shorts and flip-flops. That doesn't mean you should show up at the Webbys in the same outfit. If you make a pile of VC cash or flip your company, you might want to consider spending some of it at Barneys and getting a decent haircut.
• Don't swim without a buddy: Going out on the town, or just to South by Southwest? Bring a friend who knows these rules as well or better than you do. You never know when you'll need someone to push you into a cab or knock that tell-tale, post-rehab martini out of your hand just before getting run over by on-rushing Flickr users.
• Hire professional help: To some, this all comes quite naturally. They're called lawyers, stylists, managers, publicists, agents and the like. They make it their business to know these things, and can offer an invaluable objective perspective when your own vision is blinded by the glare of stardom. And they'll often volunteer when you're young and illiquid if they can trust you to be loyal when you cash in.
• Don't slag your competition — much: Fame, as Emily Dickinson once wrote, is a fickle food. There's a fine line between friendly competitive posturing and creating lifelong enemies. You really don't want to piss off someone you might eventually find yourself begging, on hands and knees, to hire or acquire you.
• Have a sense of humor, and humility: This is, by far, the most important, both for your public image and for your own self esteem. The Internet is not, in the grand scheme of things, serious business. We all get planted in the ground eventually. Have some fun and keep it all in perspective.

A lot like it used to — everyone's still working to pay their agent, their lawyer and their accountant. No one producing video for online distribution is even thinking about hiring a maid, gardener or driver yet — not even Steve Chen and Chad Hurley. And if you think Google AdSense will cover those costs, you'll probably end up begging for change on the boulevard of broken dreams. Or maybe the off-brand Spider-Man will have a heart attack and you can take his place amusing tourists. Licensing deals, merchandise and sponsors are still the only ticket to Tinseltown riches. And old showbiz types will milk young upstarts for every penny on that end. (Photo by Steve Zaslavsky)

Aside from providing us with some entertaining viral videos, the strike had no impact on the business of tech. TV ratings, even on programs produced before the strike, continue to plummet; there's no reason to expect them to pick up after the writers return to work. One sure loser: Venture capitalist who fancied themselves the new media moguls. As rapacious as Hollywood bosses are, they surely take less of their servants' work than Sand Hill Road. Like Eisner himself, these wannabe studio chiefs are left with only the purest fantasies of being a player.

And then there's the person advancing the project: Mark Welte, a San Francisco-based copywriter whose achievements, if you can call them that, include naming Nokia's ill-fated N-Gage handheld videogame player. Welte offered me a finder's fee, which I'm afraid I must decline: I'll take my payment in publishing this post and learning what becomes of this odd quest. Welte's email:

Dear Mr. Thomas,

As you're at the epicenter of what makes life in Silicon Valley somuch fun—i.e. the people—I wonder if I might enlist a smidge of truly insightful help from you.

I'm an adopted San Franciscan, working in advertising, making a transition into the film business. My partners in LA and I have a slate of films, offers to finance, two options and three original properties, and a true team of talent, and we're ready to start making movies. We have a unique investment plan for a prospective cash-flowing-partner, one in which our deep-pocketed partner's funds are well protected by government-backed tax breaks and similar vehicles, and we're looking for $4.5MM to get the ball rolling (about a tenth of the money is for development, and the remainder is for a portion of the production, thereby earning us leverage for the back end participation.)

Surely someone in your position knows of some mad money character or two in the Valley who has an interest in Hollywood, and would love to see their name on the big screen as an Executive Producer. If you can be of any assistance in our search, it would be greatly appreciated, and we would reward you with a finder's fee if such a cash flowing partner could be signed.

We're interested in individuals or a small group of investors, only. I have a business plan to share with interested parties. The first film is an adaptation of Pulitzer Prize-winning author James B. Stewart's book, Disney War: it's about Michael Eisner.

Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing from you.

Mark Welte
Hainan Productions

Alex Albrecht, Diggnation: Jason Bateman, Arrested Development

John C. Dvorak, Cranky Geeks: Rush Limbaugh

Chad Hurley, YouTube: Tobey Maguire

Leo Laporte, This Week in Tech: Anthony Hopkins

Merlin Mann, 43 Folders: Brandon Routh, Superman

Robert Scoble, Podtech: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote

Marissa Mayer, Google: Sarah Paulson, Studio 60

Bill Gates: Rick Moranis

Rupert Murdoch, News Corp: Philip Baker Hall, Magnolia

Kevin Rose: Demetri Martin, Daily Show

Photos: With a few exceptions, geeks by Scott Beale; stars by Associated Press

In case you haven't seen the promotional interviews yet ("Actor David Ellison is no stranger to flying"), the 23-year-old son of Oracle founder Larry Ellison stars in the period flick Flyboys, an indie film partially funded by Larry and wife Melanie Craft.

While profiles play up David's experience as a stunt pilot, he's also a horseback rider and X-Games surfer. The boy must be entirely made of Mountain Dew and Hoobastank songs. Worst thing is, you can't hate him — in his interviews, he comes off as humble and knowledgable. Which, even if he's faking it, is better than most rich kids.

Interview with David Ellison [iFMagazine]
"Flyboys" makers defy Hollywood, bet big on movie [Reuters]
Publicity photo for Flyboys [IMDb]

The film first got attention when a would-be script doctor blogged about it last August. The story, for those not cool enough to know, goes like this: Studio starts movie with working title "Snakes on a Plane." Studio tries to change title. Star Samuel L. Jackson says hell no, the title is why he signed up.

And that's the basic attraction. It's snakes! On a plane! You either want to see it or you don't!

The Internet eats that shit up, and soon there's a strip on a popular webcomic, a fake trailer, an unofficial blog, and scads of other jokes.

Finally, like all astoundingly awesinine crazes, SoaP got a following in the Valley. Jackson gave a live interview on social site TagWorld, a "Get a recorded phone call from Samuel L. Jackson" service, and finally, an SMS-based mailing list (and a flash mob). It pains me to say it, but Snakes on a Plane is so Web 2.0.

When he's in the Bay Area, Tom McInerney, the 33-year-old co-founder of San Francisco online video site Guba, zips around in his "low-end" 325i BMW, the 2003 version. In Hollywood, he powers up a Porsche 911, the 40th anniversary model. His home in San Francisco is a Victorian. His L.A. digs are a bit splashier: a Beverly Hills penthouse perched across the street from the William Morris Agency.

McInerney is angling to cut deals with the Hollywood suits and become an online distributor of their video.

"Looks matter here," said McInerney.

I was serious about the quiz.

1. Fancy Tom McInerney and his PR people got Guba into the press 67 times in the last two months, according to LexisNexis. Competitor YouTube got 853 mentions in the same time frame. Which looks hotter to a Hollywood suit?
1b. Is it a bad sign that only a half-dozen of the "Guba" citations are actually about McInerney's company?

2. What's the lease like on a Porsche 911?

3. Which is a surer sign that an article about tech and Hollywood is headed downhill: Quoting Tony Perkins, or the word "rooftop" dangerously close to the word "party"?

4. The article also says: "A valley VC held forth on the new, new convergence — the sudden collision of those who work to change the world and those who just want to entertain it." In an essay with a topic sentence, supporting examples, and conclusion, describe the pros and cons of beating the shit out of this VC.

To win deals, tech firms go Hollywood [Mercury News]

Dear Tips,

You know.... I have been reading about this Silicon Valley "Walk of Fame"... And I finally realize what is missing from the idea.... Perhaps what is missing is MY original reason for CREATING this in the first place.... THE KIDS..

See... I am only a little guy... I was born and raised in SJ, (Doctors Hospital, May 27th 1958. I have worked on and off with kids my whole life, from Directing Summer Camps for the YMCA to working with At Risk Youth in the Job Corps program..

And through the years I have found that while the "big money" was being made in the "Silicon Valley" there was always the group of kids who could never be reached... The silent children who had no time for dreams for whatever reason be it hunger, fear, abuse.. Perhaps we could have the successful of Silicon Valley, if for only one day reach down to inspire THESE children to dream, free them for greatness.

I WROTE... "The Silicon Valley Walk of Fame is created to enshrine the creative spirits and pioneers of Silicon Valley history; such a walk encourages our youth to emulate these outstanding men and women for their devotion, dedication, pursuit of innovation and visionary dreams."

So... I had an idea, it wasn't an Idea that would make me millions, I don't think I will ever have one of those.. But I did have an idea for a "Silicon Valley Walk of Fame" and faxed a preliminary plan to Jim Cunneen, President and CEO San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce May of 2001.

Now it is back, EVERYTHING from the "ICONS" embedded in the pavement, to the walk route itself!! The Mayor is behind it..
The Chamber of Commerce is behind it..
The Convention & Visitors Bureau is behind it..

Where is the PURPOSE behind it?

What I see is people lining up for their picture but no real REASON other than FAME...

I was thinking the Walk of Fame would be more than an admiration society, but rather it "would use funds to assist in keeping Silicon Valley a center of innovation through grants, scholarships and other programs supporting a youth program.."

In any case.... I just hope this could be done... For the kids... For our future..

Oh well... I was just a kid with a dream...

Regards,
Dallas Adams

Why is Robin giving his "Patch Adams, moments before a butterfly makes it all better" face? Does he not realize the brilliance that surrounds him? Or did being with these guys remind him that Will and Bing's new game will kick RV's ass on Jeff's site?

More E3 coverage: E306 Mini-guide: Day 3! [Kotaku]

Please don't make it look like television... This medium better look like something new.... If what we're doing looks like television, that would be a huge mistake.

Lloyd Braun's resumé before joining the Yahoo Media Group:

• Chairman of ABC Entertainment Television Group
• Chairman of Disney's Buena Vista Television Productions
• President of Brillstein-Grey Entertainment (film and television talent management firm)
• Legal representative for actors, directors, and writers (including Seinfeld writer Larry David) at Silverberg, Katz, Thompson & Braun
• Inspiration for television character Lloyd Braun on Seinfeld

Don't sweat it, Lloyd. In a week or two, TV will be cool again and you'll be just fine.

Breakfast with Yahoo [Jeff Jarvis, Buzzmachine]

Source: Bees on Flickr

Source: Ernie on Flickr

Source: Ernie on Flickr

Source: AnaSofia on Flickr

I'm sensing some alienation and hostility from you, Yahoo. We have a course that can take care of that.

So for those who are confused by this, a recap: The guy who used to program ABC has been hired to take Yahoo! in the direction of YouTube, while Microsoft's MSN is trying to be more like ABC.

It's not quite as simple as Mediabistro says. The same MSN that wants to be ABC wants Microsoft to buy Yahoo (but not the part led by the exec from ABC) to fight Google, who's accusing Microsoft of doing to IE what Google did to Mozilla. Meanwhile, Microsoft delays Windows to become more like Apple, who's releasing ads touting how Apple plays well with Microsoft but how Apple is better than Microsoft.

Do not ask about AOL.

Hollywood: Microsoft goes where Yahoo! fears to tread [FishBowlLA]

Vlogging will make them famous:

• Jay Dedman (pictured), personal vlogger
• Jerry, story vlogger
• Amanda Congdon, Rocketboom vlog anchor (and that guy Andrew Baron, her producer)
• J.D. Lasica, Ourmedia sharing-site owner
• Susan Kirkpatrick, personal vlogger
• Irina Slutsky, Geek Entertainment TV vlog anchor (and Eddie Codel, her producer)

Vlogging will make them even less famous:

• Tom Green, roadkill eater

Video bloggers claim spotlight [SF Chronicle]

— Oren started playing around:

That last photo is captioned on his Flickr stream: "Me, the back of Tiki Barber's head, Wolf Blitzer, and Mayor Bloomberg. Score!" That. Is so. Awesome.

Granted, at this point, actually going to events is unnecessary — for a wall of fame like that, Oren could just Photoshop himself into red carpet shots.

Photos: White House Correspondents Dinner [Oren on Flickr]

But imagine a "Silicon Valley Walk of Fame'' that featured digital video, or a holographic projection, with audio you could access from your cell phone. Maybe each "star'' would be activated by a silicon chip replica. That could be a fun and sophisticated way to celebrate our stellar geeks.

Until "fun and sophisticated" becomes "embarrassing last-year technology."

S.J. Walk of Fame still a ways off [Mercury News]
Here's a way to let the valley get its stars in alignment [Mercury News]

Yep, looks like this couch-jumping phenom might be the thing to finally put Yahoo Inc. on the map. After the jump, Access Hollywood uses the same guy's photos. Oh, you little citizen journalist! Dan Gillmor must be so proud.

My Tom Cruise Photos on Inside Edition [stevenp on YouTube]

Another highlight: seeing Access Hollywood map Tom Cruise's couch-jumpings without the Yahoo Maps API.

My Tom Cruise Photos on Access Hollywood [stevenp on YouTube]

Monday
Google in space — and in Houston: Google plans a Houston office. No moon base yet.
(Another) Valleywag writer wanted: One Valleywagger means a boom, two means a bubble.
Guest story: Netscape fallout laid out: The post that made Jeremy Liew a hero.

Tuesday
Caption this: Michael Arrington and Bill Gates, sweater buddies: Hands to yourself, Bill.
Liveblogging Tom Cruise: Arms were wrestled. Couches were trod upon.

Wednesday
Google Finance doesn't care about black people: Screen-scraping never get old!
The Junglee man's back with Webaroo: I just like how the words sound.

Thursday
MSN Meltdown: Kevin Johnson shuffles PSD, round one: Buh-bye, David Cole.
The new Microsoft hegemony: Kevin Johnson's reorg rundown: I, for one, welcome our new Live overlords.
Larry and Sergey — a bond that can't be broken: Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Friday
Bill Gates's fighting technique is unstoppable: You think that's badass, you should see Steve Ballmer in a cage match.
ConFonz at GDC: Will Wright's sloppy like Poppy: Employees must wash hands before playing Halo.
Gavin Newsom is friends with the Google guys! Honest!: No seriously guys, they send me e-mails!

Whenever I see the name "Jim Allchin" I keep thinking it's the alias Bruce Campbell uses when staying near where he's shooting a movie.

Floater wants to crash Google's bash:

Sounds like a good party. Think I'll be able to do a "reverse merger" with someone's "taint curve," though?

Oh, that wasn't Tom Cruise? Regine gets these celebrities confused sometimes:

Did the Target dog get a similar reception when that corporation visited Yahoo?

Blackjack steals the show:

The Top Ten ways you know it's time to bail out of your failing dot-com:

10) Feminine products in restroom replaced with advertisements for The Pill and The Patch.
9) Your guest speaker for the influential speakers series isn't Tom Cruise, but Tom Poston.
8) Eccentric billionaire leadership decides new employees have to fetch real lava for the company's tchotchke lava lamps.
7) Mike Arrington would rather payoff than write about your company on a bet.
6) The CEO writes an open letter to a stronger company's CEO begging him to merge the two firms' operating systems.
5) A consultant recommends that your firm should take on iTunes with a digital music service; management agrees.
4) Your executive management team just came back from an outsourcing capital like India with the kind of afterglow usually seen on someone after sex.
3) Your $70k per year boss and his $120k per year boss begin telling $35k staffers that they are overpaid despite doing the work of three people.
2) Then: IPOs. Now: employee plasma drives to raise cash and pay the utility bills for the office.

And the number one reason you should know it's time to bail out of your dot-com...
1) You are reading this post because you haven't had any real work to do for a couple of weeks!

Brilliant! If you're witty too, tell tips@valleywag.com, and you just may join the club.

In addition to Google's founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the jet's passengers included former Vice President Al Gore, who serves as an adviser to the company, and actor Chris Tucker, who starred in the "Rush Hour" series of films with Jackie Chan.

Halfway through that line, did you get whiplash too?

By the way, d'you think Chris took that Larry-Lucy makeout pic? He totally did, didn't he.

S.F. mayor's friendship with Google's founders [SF Chron]
Earlier: Gavin Newsom is friends with the Google guys! Honest! [Valleywag]
Ages ago: Larry and Lucy flying high [Valleywag]

Just heard that Tom Cruise just showed up at Helio (Sky Dayton's new wireless gig in LA) This was about 30 minutes ago.

As gleefully reported earlier, Earthlink founder Sky Dayton's been a longtime supper of the Scientology Kool-aid. When two high-level Church followers get this close, does the building become a conduit for Gozer the Destructor to unleash hell upon the world?

Earlier: Yahoo goes crazy for Cruise [Valleywag]
And: Auditing Sky Dayton [Valleywag]

After the jump, Cruise shows off a pregnant Katie, Terry Semel does the "oh, I'm just cute and clumsy" bit with his earpiece, and the Yahooparazzi attack.

More documented proof that Tom Cruise does exist, as does Katie Holmes, as does the candidate for Most Disturbed Child in Hollywood:

At the end of the next vid, watch Tom Cruise whip off his earpiece — then see Yahoo CEO Terry Semel struggle for a bit with his. Rather endearing, really.

Finally, for your obsessive desktop wallpapering (Cruise! Yahoo! You're in heaven!), Abhishek Dan and maidelba have fine Flickr photo sets of the event.

Tom Cruise @ Yahoo! - Girl Gone Wild [mistermiyage on YouTube]
Tom Cruise @ Yahoo [VoceNation on YouTube]
Tom Cruisey [dontlookatmeee on YouTube]
Tom Cruise@Yahoo [Abhishek Dan on Flickr]
Tom Cruise @ Yahoo! [maidelba on Flickr]
Earlier: Liveblogging Tom Cruise [Valleywag]

Tom Cruise just made it to Yahoo HQ for his Q&A time, says my man on the scene. And he brought Katie! "Just a few more weeks" til the baby, sez Tom.

Before Tom made it, Yahoo CEO Terry Semel gave a warm-up, telling the crowd of Yahoos that "hell no," they didn't pay Tom to come ("He does a 20mil movie and gets a big part of the gross so he's doing just fine"), and that Top Gun boy flew himself in today.

My Yahoo correspondent liveblogs via IM, after the jump.

Photo: ZoneTag Photo Tuesday 12:42:06 [rnair on Flickr]

12:46: creative commons question
ie the remix etc is it a threat or an opportunity?
tom: the potential of the creation of it is excitign. not a threat at all.
hm. terry is talking about protecting people's rights and believing in that. sseemd an oblique anti cc but not sure
tom hints at something "i don't know if you want to talk about it right now or not. it's up to you terry"
paramount and tom are putting some exclusive content on yahoo
more than that would be giving away trade secretes

12:39: terry is talking a lot more than tom
terry's telling an old tale of terry and tom
tom: "don't you remember? the guy with the harpoon ..."
terry: "i'm not gonna go there"

12:05: Terry: what got you into planes. was it top gun?
tc: 17 i had a phoeo of a spitfire and a mustang
tc: i always wanted to fly as a kid
had the gi joes... have you heard this story? i'm gonna tell it again
always wanted adventure when i was a kid. at that time it was safe to do that
had this gi joe with a plastic parachute that you could throw up and it would paracuhte down
made his own parashiute from bedsheets and rope
moved monkey bars
climbed top of garage
threw his gi joe as a wind check
threw the sheets/rope up and jumped off
knees went rocketing past him and his head hits the ground at the same time
he sees stars like acme cartoons and final though "my mother is going to kill me when she sees me here" befor eunconsciousness

12:02: crazy people taking pictures / i think i'm just gonna wait for flickr
12:01: he does his own stunts
12:00: they kiss

The Yahooer who passed on this internal e-mail regarding Tom Cruise's Tuesday campus visit says: "It's like we're expecting royalty (or something close) on campus tomorrow for chrissake! I don't recall (although I could be wrong) getting an email like this when the Governator was here."

Subject: Tom Cruise @ URL's - Tuesday, 3/21

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING THE TOM CRUISE EVENT:

WE WILL EVACUATE AND CLOSE URL'S AT 9:45A.M. ANY YAHOOS SEATED IN URL'S AT 9:45 WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE. THE DOORS WILL RE-OPEN FOR SEATING AROUND 10: 00A.M. Yahoos are permitted to wait in line outside URL's. ONLY MARKED DOORS WILL BE OPEN FOR ENTRY SO BE SURE TO STAND IN LINE AT THE APPROPRIATE DOOR.

FAQ's:

How many people may attend?
Once we open the doors, Yahoos will be welcomed into URL's on a first -come first -serve basis until we reach the capacity. "Capacity" is defined by the fire code and prohibits Yahoo! from filling all of the standing room areas. Once we have reached capactiy, the doors will be closed. If you are interested in watching Mr. Cruise's talk on a monitor, we will have an overflow area on the 2nd floor of building C and will also play a live feed on Backyard and on the TVs in the lobbies and coffee bars. If you wish to view the event from C2, please line-up at the doors near the stairs to C2.

Who is permitted to attend?
All Yahoos (and Yahoos only) are permitted to attend the event. You must show a purple, yellow or blue Yahoo! badge to be admitted into URL's. Friends, relatives, reporters, etc. will not be permitted to attend the event.

After the jump: When can I get back into URL's and eat lunch, damn it.

Photo: Terry Semel (Yahoo CEO), Joanna Stevens (Yahoo spokesperson), Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes [Joanna Stevens on Flickr]

What time can I get in?
THE DOORS WILL OPEN FOR SEATING AT AROUND 10:00A.M. Yahoos are permitted to wait in line outside URL's. ONLY MARKED DOORS WILL BE OPEN FOR ENTRY SO BE SURE TO STAND IN LINE AT THE APPROPRIATE DOOR. URL's will stop serving breakfast and close at 9: 45a.m. and the coffee bar in building C will close at 9:40a.m.

Will there be an opportunity for autographs?
No, due to the tight schedule, time will not permit for autographs or photo opportunities.

I am coming from the mission college buildings, will there be extra shuttles?
Yes, there are extra shuttle buses from mission college from 9am - noon. Space is available in URL's on a first come first serve basis.

What if it rains?
There is a possibility it may be raining while Yahoos wait in line outside URL's so dress appropriately and bring those umbrellas!

Can we reserve a seat?
No, you may not enter URL's early and reserve a seat. A very limited number of seats will be reserved for event related needs and the remainder of the chairs are open seating. Anyone who arrives in URL's early to save a seat will be asked to leave when we close URL's at 9:45a.m. Once the doors re-open, it is first-come, first- serve and you may not save seats.

Will Tom be answering questions?
Questions have already been submitted through Backyard and Mr. Cruise will be answering as many as we have time for.

How long is the event?
We expect the event to last until about 11:15/11:30. After that, we ask everyone to exit URL's quickly so we can re-set the cafeteria for lunch time seating. Mr. Cruise will not be staying in URL's after the event.

What time can I get lunch at URL's?
URL's will open for lunch approximately 15 minutes after the end of the event.