A few minutes on the intertubes and “Fue de Paille” by Paul Wells

DallasNews Religion has an interesting article on two well known Southern Baptist bloggers, Wade Burleson and Ben Cole, attempting to get resolutions on clergy sexual abuse resolutions introduced into the Southern Baptist June convention.

The International Red Cross has a sobering report (.pdf) on the worsening conditions in Iraq. Mothers told the Red Cross they would like bodies collected off the streets so their children don’t have to see them on their way to school. They’d like to go to market without fear of being killed. They need clean water, electricity.
via: Ekklesia

The White House asked Brigham Young University if US Vice President could deliver this year’s commencement address. Students and faculty are continuing to protesting the university’s decision to accept the White House request. via: Melissa Rogers

Opium production is at an all time high in Afghanistan, with open Taliban participation. 90 percent of opium now comes from the country, Taliban, corrupt Afghan officials collect their share openly from farmers. 10 million dollars is funding weaponry for the Taliban. The heroin produced has a street value of 3.5 billion dollars. via: Religion News Blog

At Working for Change, a look at Behzad Yaghmaian’s Bonded at Birth
How a CIA Coup d’État in Iran and My Life Became One

At The Tyee  a review of Gloria Filax’s “Gay in Alberta, Queer Youth in the Province of the “Severely Normal,”  (UBC Press). Filax devotes 60 pages to the now defunct Alberta Report and it’s homophobic articles, believing The Report’s stand played a part in the increasing acceptance of homosexuality.

Canada’s Anglican primate criticizes Archbishop Rowan Williams on eve of Canadian visit. The Globe and Mail

CBC sends cease and desist to web entrepreneur at hockey fight in Canada ( you have to be a knucklehead to pay those prices) via: The Tea Makers

Ivan, a United Methodist Minister who has been blogging at connexions in Wales (where he received his nickname during a pulpit exchange - Ivan the Crank)  has the hang of this posting stuff and has started his own blog at Xanga.