Democratic Senators Chuck Schumer (NY) and Bob Casey (PA) say “(We) have a status update for him: pay your taxes, or don’t set foot in the United States ever again.” The senators have introduced legislation that would ban Saverin from entering the U.S. and subject him to a 30% tax on capital gains on U.S. investments. The Ex-PATRIOT Act, which stands for “Expatriation Prevention by Abolishing Tax-Related Incentives for Offshore Tenancy Act,” would apply to anyone with net worth of $2 million who renounces citizenship to avoid paying taxes, as determined by the IRS. “Mr. Saverin’s social network is about to get a lot smaller,” Schumer warns.

However, Saverin still has lots of friends like fellow tax dodger Rush Limbaugh. “I left New York state for the same reason. Now, I didn’t have to renounce citizenship, but I left New York state for the same reason. I moved to a state with no state income tax,” brags the radio host.

“If it’s a more favorable tax haven that you can find elsewhere and you go there, why is it automatically that you are unpatriotic? Why is it automatically that you are a coward, that you are not paying your fair share? It’s this whole class envy thing rearing its head again.”

Lobbyist Grover Norquist went so far as to compare the Jewish author of the bill to a Nazi. He likened the bill to the Reichsfluchtsteuer, a 25% tax levied on Jews fleeing persecution.

“I think Schumer can probably find the legislation to do this. It existed in Germany in the 1930s and Rhodesia in the ’70s and in South Africa as well,” said Norquist. “He probably just plagiarized it and translated it from the original German.”

An American hero

“In Saverin’s case, his decision to renounce his U.S. citizenship will have a definite impact, and for that, those of us who seek smaller government should view him as a hero,” writes Tamny. “Saverin’s decision will starve the feds of revenue they would almost certainly waste, it will force a rethink of a tax code that penalizes income and investment success, and the unconsumed dollars kept from the hands of government will reach today’s and tomorrow’s businesses. Let’s raise a glass to Eduardo Saverin. He’s a true American hero.”

While most people shy away from being called a hero, Saverin revels in it. Saverin’s Facebook page features an article from the Brazilian magazine Vega that calls him “an American hero.”

House Speaker John Boehner called Saverin’s actions “absolutely outrageous” on ABC’s This Week. Boeher said he would support the bill if necessary but pointed out there’s already an existing law, referring to a 1996 statute introduced by Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island.

In fact, Sen. Reed has already written a official letter urging to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano enforce Section 212(a)(10)(E), which states:

“Any alien who is a former citizen of the United States who officially renounces United States citizenship and who is determined by the [Secretary of Homeland Security] to have renounced United States citizenship for the purpose of avoiding taxation by the United States is excludable.”

Facebook Unfriends US is a post from: L7 World

Lipton criticizes everything from Romney’s mirthless laugh to his mismatch fashion sense. He even suggests that the stiff Romney take a cue from the graceful Sarah Palin, who is a “constant pleasure to watch (with the sound turned on or off, depending on your persuasion).”

Romney’s real problem is that he’s trying to be something he’s not: the common man. Actor Ronald Reagan wasn’t either but Romney’s no Reagan.

“So, for what it’s worth, my advice to Mr. Romney is this: Since the evidence indicates that you lack the skills to simulate what you’re not, you should stick to typecasting and go with what you’ve got and who you are. It’s not just your best option, sir, it’s your only one,” writes Lipton.

Romney is unlikely to willing appear on the Actors Studio so Lipton used news clips of the presidential candidate to put together a satirical question and answer segment (video below).

James Lipton Teaches Mitt Romney How to Act Human is a post from: L7 World

During his senior year at Cranbrook School, Romney and his friends forcibly cut the hair of their classmate, John Lauber. “It started out as ribbing, sort of a pointed ribbing about his hair, but it very quickly became an assault, and he was taken down to the ground, pinned,” said Phillip Maxwell. “It all happened very quickly — it was like a pack of dogs.”

Lauber had long bleached-blond hair and was targeted for his perceived homosexuality. “He can’t look like that,” Romney reportedly told Matthew Friedemann. “That’s wrong. Just look at him!”

While his friends deeply regret the incident, Romney says he has no recollection of it and laughed off the whole thing as youthful indiscretion. “I participated in a lot of high jinks and pranks during high school and some might have gone too far,” he halfheartedly apologized on Fox News.

Romney’s idea of what constitutes a prank is eerily reminiscent of an old Saturday Night Live skit in which Christopher Walken and Robert De Niro prank their victims to death.

Mitt Romney Haircut Prank is a post from: L7 World

Liljeroth issued the following statement:

The actual purpose of World Art Day was to discuss and highlight the role of art in society. Our national cultural policy assumes that culture shall be an independent force based on the freedom of expression. Art must therefore be allowed room to provoke and pose uncomfortable questions. As I emphasised in my speech on Sunday, it is therefore imperative that we defend freedom of expression and freedom of art – even when it causes offence.

I am the first to agree that Makode Linde’s piece is highly provocative since it deliberately reflects a rasist [sic] stereotype. But the actual intent of the piece – and Makode Linde’s artistry – is to challenge the traditional image of racism, abuse and oppression through provocation. While the symbolism in the piece is despicable, it is unfortunate and highly regrettable that the presentation has been interpreted as an expression of racism by some. The artistic intent was the exact opposite.

As Minister for Culture it is my responsibility to safeguard the conditions for and independence of art and culture. At the same time, it is also my job to uphold the democratic values that counter racism, intolerance and xenophobia.

I chose to open World Art Day to turn the spotlight on art and freedom of expression. The Swedish Artists’ National Organization chose in turn to highlight Makode Linde to bring attention to his anti-racist artistry. Through the ceremony, however, I became personally involved in Makode Linde’s highly provocative form of expression.

It is perfectly obvious that my role as minister differs from that of the artist. Provocation can not and should not be an expression for those who have the trust and responsibility of Government representative. I therefore feel it is my responsibility to clarify that I am sincerely sorry if anyone has misinterpreted my participation and I welcome talks with the African Swedish National Association on how we can counter intolerance, racism and discrimination.

The intentionally provocative cake was part of Linde’s “Afromantics” series, which reappropriates blackface. The artist’s portfolio (makodelinde.com) is full of similar work.

“In Stockholm, where I am from, the art world knows [about my work],” explains Linde. “Ninety-nine percent of my pieces have a anti-racist context. I’m the first one to admit that it’s a disturbing picture but it’s also a disturbing subject. One of the main roles of art is to talk about these things and make people confront them in themselves.”

Linde says the images, which have gone viral, are out of context and the outrage is misplaced. He asks “If people can get this upset from a woman cutting a cake, can’t they use that energy towards the real battle towards female genital mutilation?”

Racist Chocolate Cake is a post from: L7 World

The real reason the candidates are there is for “an opportunity to blatantly, shameless promote their books.” Mitt Romney’s book has blank pages so you can write whatever you want him to say. Ron Paul’s book is on how to keep children out of you abandoned amusement park by dressing up as ghost. And Rick Perry promotes a Hardy Boys book, it’s got train robbers!

The Debate is followed by a sexy rebuttal from Obama, who reveals his “dirty little secret.” He’s actually a conservative, just look at his record: Wall Street bailout, extending Bush Tax cuts, and he followed the Bush timeline for pulling out of Iraq… because when Obama says he’s gonna pull out, you can trust him.

Features: Mike Tyson as Herman Cain, Rob Delaney as Mitt Romney, Horatio Sanz as Newt Gingrich, John C. McGinley as Rick Santorum, Greg Germann as Jon Huntsman, Patrick Warburton as Rick Perry, Leslie Jordan as Ron Paul, Erin Gibson as Michele Bachmann, Bryan Safi as Marcus Bachmann, and Reggie Brown as President Obama.

Watch the debate @ Yahoo Screen
http://screen.yahoo.com/yahoo-news-funny-or-die-gop-cyber-debate-27797158.html

Larry King Moderates Fake GOP Debate is a post from: L7 World

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Herman Cain is an Art Project is a post from: L7 World

While speaking at Harvard, Gingrich chided child labor laws for institutionalizing poverty. “It is tragic what we do in the poorest neighborhoods, entrapping children in child laws which are truly stupid. Saying to people you shouldn’t go to work before you’re 14, 16. You’re totally poor, you’re in a school that’s failing with a teacher that’s failing,” said Gingrich.

“I tried for years to have a very simple model. These schools should get rid of unionized janitors, have one master janitor, pay local students to take care of the school. The kids would actually do work; they’d have cash; they’d have pride in the schools. They’d begin the process of rising.”

Because nothing instills pride more than cleaning up after rich. Just watch the musical Annie. They’re so happy, they’re singing!

School of Hard Knocks is a post from: L7 World

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, but sometimes it isn't.

On the Tonight Show, Jay Leno challenged her positions on everything from taxes to the gays. Leno asked, “If you become president, and you seem pretty strident in your views, could you comprise?” Bachmann interrupted “Convicted. I’m convicted.” The comedian corrected her, “Convicted? No, you don’t get convicted until after you’re in office. That’s later. You have to get elected first.”

I’m ‘convinced’ the only way Republicans can win is by not opening their very big mouths.

Freudian Slip is a post from: L7 World

The personification of America is symbolically bloodied and tattered perhaps as much, if not more, by the “lie” than the physical attack. He declares, “Most times the bigger the fib, the easier for plain folks to be taken in. Well, I reckon there’s still a few good citizens got so much moxie they’ll overcome any obstacle to set things straight. Even time itself…” One such a person is Sandra Stratton, a physicist who travels back in time to save her husband. He works in the North Tower as part of a risk management consulting company, which conveniently deals with security, military, and political issues. Each department confidently refutes Sandra’s claims as either implausible or impossible. “In fact, your whole hypothesis only works if people in our own government were somehow in collusion with this imagined attack,” concludes the office manager. Sandra says she doesn’t know what on “behind the scenes” but one thing’s for sure: Bush lied us into a war. Another department backs up the idea of 9/11 being an inside job, citing some neo-cons desire for a “new Pearl Harbor.”

Despite her persuasiveness, Sandra’s own husband dismisses the danger. He just happened to write his thesis paper on the World Trade Center and explains that it was “specifically built to withstand the crash of a fully loaded jetliner” and the only way to bring it down is with high-grade explosives. When Sandra shows him footage of WTC 7 collapsing on her ipad, he is convinced what he sees is a controlled demolition and has her escorted from the building. Minutes later the plane crashes into the tower and exposes explosives attached to the building’s beams. In that instant, the book goes from theory to a claim of fact.

Veitch says he took care to “avoid some of the loonier theories that you see, like space aliens did it.” Yet, he gives credence to conspiracy theories just as loony, such as the belief that Jews were behind 9/11 in order to goad American into invading the Middle East. One of the reasons they doubt Sandra is that they are in the middle of a project for a famous filmmaker named “Stephen” (i.e.; Steven Spielberg), who wants to have a real-life collapsing skyscraper in his next movie. This goes far beyond coincidence and seem to implicate Spielberg so it’s not surprising Veitch spells his first name with a “ph” and leaves out his last name.

The Big Lie is a One-Shot comic but Veitch says, “Right now we are discussing a couple more 9/11 themed issues that focus on elements that were too complex to cover in our first issue. We’d like to do one that illustrates the money trail preceding and following the attacks. And we’d like to shine a much needed light on the Patriot Act, which had been on the Neo-Con drawing board for a decade until it was passed in response to 9/11.”

The Big Lie – 9/11 comic is a post from: L7 World

But marines are crying foul on the latest addition to the military code of conduct. The Military Times Marine Corps blog, Battle Rattle, is reporting “audible farting has been banned for some Marines downrange because it offends the Afghans.” And commenters are sounding off by pointing out the myriad of offensive practices by Afghans such as rape, honor killing, beheadings, suicide bombs.

Perhaps this is just for plausible deniability. After all, they only banned “audible” gas so silent but deadly is still in their arsenal.

Don’t Ask Don’t Smell is a post from: L7 World