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by Claudine Zap

News flash: Mitt Romney is way richer than you. How rich? A very cool -- if incredibly maddening tool -- can tell you exactly how long it takes for Richie Romney to make your salary (hint: not very long). Based on the presidential candidate's 2010 tax return, the Slate calculator tells us: "Mitt Romney made $40,000 in 16 hours 10 minutes and 34 seconds."

After facing growing criticism by his Republican competitors, and taking a drubbing in the South Carolina primary, the Republican candidate finally released his 2010 and 2011 tax returns. Voters were again reminded of the great divide between wealth and regular working stiffs: Romney earned about $21.6 million in 2010 and estimates about the same for 2011.

Mitt proved after releasing his tax information that his rate is, as he had estimated, "probably closer to the fifteen percent rate than anything."

How is that possible? Easy: The very legal and very low capital gains tax. Romney, a former head of Bain Capital, has been living off investment profits, which unlike wages from a paycheck, are taxed at the lower 15 percent rate -- instead of the 35 percent that wealthy Americans pay on earned income. Mitt's riches gave searches on the term "capital gains tax" a one-day jump of 50 percent, along with lookups on "what is capital gains tax," "capital gains tax rate" and "history of capital gains tax."

John Cassidy in the New Yorker points out that it was Bill Clinton who first cut the capital gains tax from 28 percent to 20 percent. George W. Bush slashed it down to 15 percent -- where it remains today.

Maybe it's not surprising that Romney was reluctant to release his tax statements. The New York Times reports that the Republican is the wealthiest candidate to ever run for president, with an estimated family fortune of $190 million to $250 million.

Forbes called Romney's admission of his super-low tax rate a "teachable moment," adding that keeping the investment income tax low allows for a "ginormous loophole" -- tax shelters to convert fully taxed income into capital gains. "If you can transform $10 million of wages into gains, you can save over $2 million."

However, as NPR reporter Tamara Keith pointed out in an analysis of the Newt Gingrich proposed tax plan, Romney would pay zero percent on taxes: The former House Speaker calls for a 15 percent flat tax that everyone could choose on earned income, and no tax on capital gains.

Much of Romney's income comes from Bain, made through private equity deals, and is taxed at the lower capital gains rate. And even at the current rate of 15 percent, that sweet deal could be hard for ordinary taxpayers to swallow.

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by Claudine Zap

Newt Gingrich, the Republican presidential candidate on a roll right now, has been invoking a little-known name in his criticism of President Obama: Saul Alinsky. As a result, the 20th-century community organizer has caused a surge of searches on the Web.

After winning the South Carolina GOP primary, Gingrich said in his victory speech, "The centerpiece of this campaign, I believe, is American exceptionalism versus the radicalism of Saul Alinsky." Which seemed to have the effect of viewers nodding, then thinking, "Who?" On Yahoo!, lookups included: "who is Saul Alinsky," "saul alinksy newt gingrich," "saul alinsky obama," and "saul alinsky rules for radicals" -- the name of the activist's book.

Alinsky has been dead for 40 years, and became known on campuses in the 1960s for his organizing tactics, along with a guide to the powerless (think the 99 percent) to grab control from those in power.

Born in 1909 in Chicago to Russian-immigrant parents, the writer is known as the founding father of community organizing. He worked his way through the University of Chicago, then got a job in the slums of Chicago as an organizer. Of his book, "Rules for Radicals," Alinsky wrote: "'The Prince' was written by Machiavelli for the Haves on how to hold power. 'Rules for Radicals' is written for the Have-Nots on how to take it away."

If the Occupy Wall Street movement is aligned with Alinsky's teachings, so is the tea party. Dick Simpson, a political scientist at the University of Chicago, told Bloomberg News, "The tea party has understood how to mobilize their anger and turn it to political results, which is the underlying motif of Alinsky."

Saul Alinsky's name came up in the last presidential campaign, when it was noted that Hillary Clinton, who was a candidate in the Democratic presidential primaries, had written her college thesis on the agitator back in 1969.

Other Republicans have sought to link Obama to Alinsky, since both were community organizers in Chicago. But, as CNN points out, Obama was just 10 when Alinsky died, and he has never publicly mentioned the man.

The organizer himself would certainly appreciate the storm of controversy his name has generated of late. He said it best himself: "First rule of change is controversy. You can't get away from it for the simple reason all issues are controversial. Change means movement and movement means friction, and friction means heat, and heat means controversy."

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by Vera H-C Chan

What the saxophone did for Bill Clinton, might a ringtone do for Barack Obama?

At a time of declining job ratings, the man who once fueled rock-star fervor got another shot of cool for crooning the 1972 tune "Let's Stay Together." His Apollo Theater singing performance lasted only a few notes, but that was enough to perk up the Twitterverse and online curiosity. Yahoo! searches for the tune soared nearly 17,000%, elevated Rev. Green's profile by 1,008%, and spurred an online encore flurry ("obama at apollo theater," "obama at the apollo," "obama sings al green song," "president sings al green.")

Twitter groupies who longed for a ringtone version can now relive those six words over and over -- or at least use them to signify that Grandma is calling. Obama's official site now offers a free ringtone for iPhone and other smartphones.

And, yes, the Twitterverse is getting buzzed anew. Obama's cover of Al Green is a ringtone now. That's cool lol," delightly observed @simplynono. A Manchester gent tweeted a more tongue-in-cheek observation: "The 'Obama sings Al Green official ringtone' is up there with the CNN http://Will.I.Am hologram interview as defining political moments."

It's a nice bit of timing with his State of the Union address. In his 2011 address, Obama spoke of a Sputnik moment. Now he has his Apollo moment.

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by Claudine Zap

This weekend, there will be something at the box office for everyone -- just as long as you like action, action, action.

The thriller "Man on a Ledge" is causing Yahoo! searches on the movie to jump 82% in the last week. Sam Worthington is the ex-cop now fugitive on said ledge. Elizabeth Banks plays the police negotiator who tries to talk him down. "Ledge" may serve as a bridge builder for both men and women have about equal interest in the flick.

Men ages 30-34 are warming up to the chilly adventure movie, "The Grey." Liam Neeson stars as an oil rig roughneck who leads a group of plane-crash survivors through a sub-arctic stretch of Alaska wilderness, pursued by a ravenous pack of rogue wolves, 'natch.

"One for the Money" is one for the women: The chick flick, based on the bestselling novel, is a winner with female viewers who are looking up the Katherine Heigl vehicle -- men, not so much. The movie stars the actress who decides to become a bounty hunter, even though she knows nothing of the job. Her first big task: to nab an ex-boyfriend for a big payday. Hi-jinks ensue. The movie seems to be catching on, rising in Yahoo! search 43% in the last 7 days.

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by Claudine Zap

First, "Jersey Shore" star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi shed some weight. Now, she's dumped her overly made-up face. And her fans looooove it. The Web gushed over a makeup-free pic Snooki posted on Twitter with the comment: " No make up day :) and IDC :)" (I don't care).

Over on Yahoo!, a flurry of positive comments -- close to 19,000 at last count -- like this were typical: "She looks amazing without all the goop!" and, "She should go for the natural look, it looks much prettier!" Web searches on the pint-sized Polizzi also surged. Lookups on "snooki without makeup" increased a whopping 28,400% in one day.

Snooki herself seemed overwhelmed by the response to her make-under. She tweeted to her 4 million-plus followers, "Can I just say how amazing my fans/supporters are! You guys really know how to put a smile on my face! Love you all beyond words."

Before and after pics certainly show a dramatic difference. The 4-foot-9-inch star, who regularly showed up to the gym in full makeup and wore her hair in a signature pouf, instead features a face that is erased of its bronzer, overly done eyes, and dark lips. The undone look shows straight hair, mascara-free eyes, glowing skin, and, gasp, a beautiful woman underneath.

Friends on Snooki's Facebook page also agree: The star truly shines without all the makeup. A fan posted on her wall: "She is Beautiful without make up, just gorgous!"

The move to go natural is a growing trend in 2012. Makeup artists report to the New York Times: "Stiff coiffures, overdone eyes, defined lips and matte skin are out. Tousled hair, smudged eyeliner, dewy lips and luminous skin are in." If this is Snooki's new look (and we hope that it is) she could lead the way for a  new outlook in the new year.

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by Claudine Zap

They're beautiful, fashionable, and always red-carpet-ready for their close-ups. But there's one accessory these stars don't have: a stylist. So they say. Blake Lively, the "Gossip Girl" star, has become the poster child for going stylist-free.

What does this mean, exactly? The 24-year-old says fashion is her favorite hobby, so she prefers to go with her gut. "I just like whatever I'm feeling. Sometimes things are really beautiful, but they just don't photograph well, and that's that." Yes, we all know that whenever an outfit doesn't work, it's the camera's fault.

Still, the stylish TV show "Gossip Girl" seems to be doing for Lively's fashion sense what "Sex and the City" did for Sarah Jessica Parker. Off set, Lively clearly loves to show up in designer duds, even if she doesn't always hit the mark.

The blog Fashionista is doubtful of the Chanel spokesmodel's claim, noting, "It doesn't seem that Blake needs a stylist, because she has Eric Daman, 'Gossip Girl's' costume designer, who clearly 'helps her out' for big events."

Other stars who say they turn up at major events with a DIY look include January Jones, Diane Kruger, and the Olsen twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley.

Certainly, there's no shame in hiring a stylist. In fact, a celebrity stylist told the New York Times that it can be a game changer. Nicole Chavez, who has dressed Katherine Heigl and Scarlett Johansson, insisted that a good dress is a great career move: "People -- casting agents, studio executives -- stop and take notice. They are suddenly interested in working with you."

Whether or not Lively has a stylist, directors are apparently interested in working with the up-and-coming actress. Her career is on the rise, along with her fashionably short hem: She is said to be starring in the upcoming Oliver Stone movie "Savages."

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by Claudine Zap

If you tried to look something up on Wikipedia today, you may have been surprised to learn not about whatever obscure fact you were hunting down, but that there's a war being waged over what you can see on the Web. Two bills, Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect IP Act, are seeking to limit copyright infringement online, and the web is in revolt.

On Wednesday, Wikipedia (which blacked out its site) and Google, which visibly protested the legislation on its homepage, voiced their opposition (along with many other sites, including Yahoo!) to bills they argue would ruin the freewheeling world of the Internet. Media companies are in favor of the legislation, arguing that they need a way to stop illegal downloading and pirating of their material.

So what are these bills exactly?

The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) is the House bill; Protect IP Act (PIPA) is its Senate sister. Both focus on foreign websites that pirate movies, music, and other materials from the U.S. (sites that many Americans use -- an industry study has noted that 17.5% of all bandwidth in the U.S. is taken up by illegal downloads.)

That may sound sensible, but many media companies operating online think the language is too vague in terms of defining what constitutes piracy; feel the bills don't define who is responsible for making sure illegal material from foreign sites isn't showing up on U.S. sites; and think the legislation imposes sanctions that are too heavy-handed.

Here's why: If passed, the bills would allow the owner of the material to seek court orders that would block access to the alleged pirate site and require credit card companies and advertisers to stop payments to the site.

So how are law-breaking sites identified? SOPA defines a "foreign infringing site" as one that is "committing or infringing" on copyright. PIPA is more specific, describing sites that have "no significant use other than" copyright infringement. Websites would have 5 days to appeal.

Websites and media companies worry that they could be targeted for unknowingly hosting pirated material -- think of user-generated video uploaded on Facebook, Wikipedia, or Twitter.

SOPA would also make it illegal to stream unauthorized content. This has been dubbed the "Free Bieber" provision, since the baby-faced pop icon Justin Bieber got his start on YouTube performing music from other singers.

The Senate bill is losing sponsors who think the legislation goes too far. Voting on PIPA will begin on January 24.

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by Mike Krumboltz

In a recent interview with Men's Journal, actor Mark Wahlberg made a remark about the 9/11 attacks that could spark a considerable controversy.

Wahlberg was originally scheduled to fly on one of the planes that hit the World Trade Center. Fortunately for him, he took a different flight a week earlier. When he spoke to Men's Journal about what could have been, Wahlberg remarked, "If I was on that plane with my kids, it wouldn’t have went down like it did. There would have been a lot of blood in that first-class cabin and then me saying, 'OK, we’re going to land somewhere safely, don’t worry.'"

Wahlberg quickly apologized for the remark. According to gossip site TMZ, he said that his comments were “irresponsible and that “to speculate about such a situation is ridiculous to begin with. I deeply apologize to the families of the victims that my answer came off as insensitive, it was certainly not my intention.”

Apologizing was a wise move. Wahlberg’s comment was quickly picked up by blogs and news organizations. NPR, the Washington Post, Us Weekly, and the Huffington Post have all covered the story. Lanford Beard of Entertainment Weekly writes, "Methinks a certain A-list action hero is getting a little too Method."

Yahoo! News: 9/11 Remembered

TMZ spoke with Deena Burnett-Bailey, whose husband, Thomas Burnett, called her moments before the plane crashed into the tower.

Burnett-Bailey told TMZ: "Does Mark Wahlberg have a pilot's license? Then I think hindsight is 20/20 and it's insignificant to say what you would have done if you weren't there. The plan for Flight 93 was foiled by heroes. For him to speculate that his presence on board could have stopped everything is silly and disrespectful. Sounds like someone is grandstanding."

Wahlberg's recent action film, "Contraband," took in more than $28 million during its opening weekend.

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by Mike Krumboltz

The Gap is getting ready to do battle with reality star Kim Kardashian.

Folks might remember that Old Navy (which is a Gap brand) ran a commercial starring an actress named Melissa Molinaro, who boasts a not-so-subtle similarity to Kardashian. Ms. Kim promptly sued the retailer, claiming, according to a buzzy article from the Hollywood Reporter, that the commercial "created confusion in the marketplace and violated her rights to her name and likeness." Kim wants $20 million for her trouble.

The Gap may be rolling its eyes, but the company isn't rolling over. The retailer has launched an investigation to see whether Kardashian's reputation really was sullied as her lawsuit insists. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the investigation and its aftermath could take about a year to resolve.

If things progress as planned, the legal battle could get really interesting. According to the New York Post, legal experts predict that "Kardashian herself, as well as her doppelganger and the creative forces behind the commercial, could end up on the witness stand."

Check out photos from "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" on Yahoo! TV.

Who else might be called? The Hollywood Reporter contends that Reggie Bush, the NFL star who dated both Kardashian and Molinaro, may be asked to testify. "Bush reportedly began dating Molinaro after the Old Navy commercial came out, and the defendants are going to make Bush's relationship with both Kardashian and Molinaro an issue. It's unclear what legal purpose this serves, but it's further proof of how personal this case has become."

Investigators for the Gap also intend to speak with representatives from Bebe and Sears, two retailers that used to have professional relationships with Kim Kardashian.

It's been a rough couple of months for Kim and family. Last week, the Kardashians responded to a report that the Kardashian brand is losing its luster. Back in September, Kim and Kourtney were memorably mocked by two newscasters. And then there was the wedding... yeah, the less said about that, the better.

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by Claudine Zap

This week the movie "Red Tails" flies into first place with Yahoo! users. Searches on the George Lucas-produced film about the African-American Tuskegee fighter pilots of World War II rose 148% in the last week. A third of the lookups are ages 30-44, and expect to see more men than women at this action flick starring Terrence Howard and Ne-Yo.

Kate Beckinsale can sure pull in a crowd. The beautiful actress again takes on the role of the vampire fighter Selene in "Underworld Awakening," opening this week. The sci-fi adventure in 3-D buzzed up the search box 23% in the last 7 days, drawing in men in their 20s to this horror tale. In this fourth installment, Selene escapes imprisonment to find that humans are waging all-out war on the immortal Vampire and Lycan clans.

Finally, the thriller "Haywire" is packing a punch with Yahoo! users, with about a 15% bump in searches from mostly men, ages 30-35. Gina Carano, the former mixed martial arts fighter, stars as a covert agent who is double-crossed. The action-packed movie directed by Steven Soderbergh also features acting heavy-weight actors Ewan McGregor, Channing Tatum, and Michael Fassbender.

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