From the Village Reader

Hillary's polling continues to improve according to Gallup. But over at Daily Kos, the straw poll reveals steadfast support for Edwards, with a surprising surge for Dodd. Looks like some people are impressed when a senator takes a stand. If only a few more would.

Terra, Not Terror has some fantastic reporting from the Bioneers conference in Cleveland this past weekend. Keep checking back there, as she says she has enough material to last through the week. I think this statement is very important and something we need to work on here in Akron:

Diversity is our best hope. Nature thrives on diversity, and so should humanity. A damaged system can recover if it is diverse. The odds are improved and society is enriched. Community and social capital involves empowering local communities to solve their own problems. This is called the new localism… communities must be decentralized to solve problems. We can see that happening with the Mayors Climate Protection Act… the Federal government is not taking responsibility, so local governments are stepping into the role (that’s what is meant by decentralized).

PZ Meyers delivers one rip snorting good talk at St Olif's. The following snippet certainly relates to the bioneering topic being discussed at Terra's blog:

All those species on our planet are related to one another -- we can trace lines of descent that link every one of the residents of this Earth to every other; we are distantly related to worms and bacteria and sea anemones and trees. We know this because, again, the paleontologists have shown us the chain of history, and because the molecular biologists have mapped out the genes and shown us their similarities. The proteins in my eye that capture light and convert it to an electrical signal are present in jellyfish, and the cellular mechanisms and the genetic code we use to translate those genes into action are identical.

Microdot has the latest goings on in France, where the new conservative president is not making many friends among the citizens. Read how a publicity gimmick terribly misfires, in the tale of a letter from a young communist.

And finally, this in the email:

Dear Village Green,

Regarding your CD WOW! Order No. 378252508

Just to let you know that:
Working Man's Cafe by RAY DAVIES has been dispatched.

Please allow up to 7 days for this item to arrive.

If after this time the above item has not arrived, please do let us know.

This completes your order.

Warmest regards,
CD WOW! Customer Service

Seven days and counting! I'm avoiding all the reviews now being published by our British friends who all got the CD free yesterday along with their copy of the Sunday Times. I want to experience the new songs with no preconceptions. I want to give the artist his due and have no problem with paying for an import. (No date has been given for a US release) Besides, the CD that is on sale for actual cash has two bonus tracks not on the giveaway -- and those two are supposed to be "killer."