If you thought you could get Mayor Bloomberg to answer whether he is running for president under oath, you’ll be sorely disappointed.

The New York Sun reports that as part of a defamation case brought against Bloomberg by a South Carolina gun salesman over remarks made by the mayor in 2006, Bloomberg was asked that very question. His response?

“I was not planning to run for president then.”

And thus, we wait.

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There have been 151,000 violent deaths in Iraq since the 2003 invasion, according to a study published on the Jan. 9 online edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.

The new survey conducted by the Iraq Family Health Survey “for the purpose of estimating mortality between January 2002 and June 2006,” yields yet another number to the already conflicting reports from other groups such as Burnham, which estimated 601,027 violent deaths, and Iraq Body Count, which estimated 47,668.

The range in estimates may be the result of different subject pools. In other words, some reports might feature data from more (or less) violent areas in the country.

Here’s a map that shows the number of households surveyed in each of Iraq’s 59 regions (determined by the IFHS) for this latest survey.

(The new study has “a purported 95% confidence interval of 104,000 to 223,000″ deaths.)

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At the UN climate conference in Bali, delegations of scientists not only called for deep cut in greenhouse gas emissions, but also showed new ideas to tackle climatic change.

Also, hear all about a mechanical tree being proposed by a Columbia professor.

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Is it me, or is Giuliani now running on Reagan’s platform?

Crises:

Spending:

(fast forward to 2:42 to watch Giuliani’s response)

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The neighbors of a 13-year old girl who hanged herself last year over a MySpace prank are using age-old tactics to make those whom they deem responsible pay.

The Saint Louis Today reports that neighbors of Lori and Curt Drew have made threatening phone calls, thrown a brick through a window and damaged their lawn, among others things. In the latest incident someone called 911 to report that there was a dead body at the Drews’. As many as 15 deputies showed up, but no body was found.

The spat began when it was made public that Lori Drew posed as a teenage boy in MySpace to find out what her neighbor, Megan Meier, was saying about her daughter. In order to gain her confidence, Lori flirted with Megan and after a month broke off their online relationship. Megan, who had been emotionally unstable, killed herself shortly after.

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He’s advisor Kevin Sheeky seems to think so.

The Politicker is keeping track of Sheeky’s Facebook moves and reports that in Dec. 2 he joined the groups Michael R. Bloomberg for Pres. of U.S.A., and Draft Bloomberg.

He also found time to become a fan of Draft Bloomberg.

Still our mayor insists he is NOT running for president in 2008.

Just the same, here’s Bloomberg on presidential candidates, religion and politics, how the U.S. is viewed internationally, and other topics.

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And finally…

The latest craze in ringtones? The King of Spain!

from www.reuters.com posted with vodpod

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Thinking about getting a new nativity scene for your home this Christmas?Leave it to the Neapolitans to come up with some of the best ideas for an off-beat look at this tradition made popular by St. Francis Asisi in 1223.

from www.reuters.com posted with vodpod

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NYPD Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly might want to look to India for a model to keep New York’s Finest in top shape.

The regime? Yoga and Bhangra.

from www.reuters.com posted with vodpod

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Christmas is fast approaching and we all want to make sure Santa doesn’t forget about us.

The NTS, or North American Aerospace Defense Command Tracking Service, was created in the mid-50s to track Santa as he makes his way around the world on Christmas Eve. Read and hear about how it all began.

And now, you can now track Santa in 3D, starting at 2 a.m. on Dec. 24, by downloading Goggle Earth.

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