Here is the Thursday May 15th, 2008 edition of interesting reads from around the world.

Why Have Obama’s Polling Numbers Varied By Region?
Professor James Cobb of the University of Georgia explores the accuracies of Obama’s polling data in this thought piece in the History News Network.

As the Climate Warms, Biology Adapts
It was nearly 90F (32C) today in San Francisco. We rarely see days like this but they are becoming more frequent. The Australian reports on how plants, animals, ice and waters worldwide have all been significantly affected by global warming triggered by human activity. The UK Guardian has a related story. Not adapting so well to the warming climate are polar bears which were added to the endangered species list. If you want to catch them in their natural habitat, the best place for that is in Churchill, Manitoba.

Barclays Plc Writes Down $3.3 Billion in Assets
As the global financial markets continue to struggle with overvalued assets on their books, Barclays Plc, the U.K.’s third-biggest bank, reported first-quarter writedowns of 1.7 billion pounds ($3.3 billion) from declines in the credit markets and said earnings were lower than a year earlier. More from Bloomberg News and from the UK Guardian.

Islamic Terror Networks in India
The Asia Times reports on how India is bracing for an upswing from radical Islamic terror.

Indonesia Approves Subsidy to Assist with Increased Fuel Costs
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has issued a presidential instruction for the disbursement of Rp 14.1 trillion (US$1.55 billion) in direct cash assistance to help 19.1 million lower income households cope with planned fuel price increases. The Jakarta Post has the full story. Also from the Jakarta Post an op-ed on the state of civil-military relations in Indonesia.

Food Shortages in Nicaragua
As a transportation strikes continues into its second week, there is a tense calm, punctuated by violence and protests, in Daniel Ortega’s Nicaragua. More from the Miami Herald.

It’s A Breeze
On Tuesday, the US Department of Energy released a major study on the potential of wind power in the US, suggesting that by 2030 it could supply 20% of our electricity needs. Energy Outlook looks into the details of this new report.