The original charge was “enmity to God” but now they claim to have found 30 grams of “drugs.”… Read the rest
Welcome to our archive of news stories relevant to the project of fighting fashionable nonsense. The stories are drawn from the electronic pages of the world’s media. On this page, you’ll find links to those stories that have been featured on Butterflies and Wheels during the current year. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find links to separate archives of stories from previous years.
We’re always pleased to hear about news stories that you think should be featured on Butterflies and Wheels. Just send an email here, if you want to point one out to us.
A note about links
Inevitably links go out of date. We suggest, therefore, that you make hard-copies of the stories that particularly interest you.
Pakistan newspapers on the murder of Salman Taseer 
Jan 5th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The English-language papers condemn it; the Urdu papers say he was “controversial.”… Read the rest
A philosopher of religion gives it up
Jan 5th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“If you cannot take something seriously, you should not try to devote serious academic attention to it.”… Read the rest
Another religious law punishes women
Jan 5th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Aharon Friedman, an Orthodox Jew, refuses to give his wife a get. Only a husband can “give” a get.… Read the rest
Declan Walsh on the murder of Salman Taseer
Jan 4th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
As he was led away Qadri told photographers he was “proud” to have killed Taseer because he was a “blasphemer”.… Read the rest
Adil Najam on the murder of Salman Taseer
Jan 4th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“Salman Taseer was killed by the intolerance, the hatred, the extremism, the vigilantism, the violence and the jahalat that now defines our society.”… Read the rest
Jesus and Mo do their act
Jan 4th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“Tonight we’re going to put dogma before reason and then act upon our conclusions without regard to the consequences. Everybody sing.”… Read the rest
Lahore: protests at killing of Taseer
Jan 4th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Dozens of supporters of the PPP took to streets in Lahore on Tuesday. Dozens.… Read the rest
Murtaza Razvi on the murder of Salman Taseer
Jan 4th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Taseer’s outspoken defence of Aasia Bibi made him a hate figure for extremist and Islamist outfits and parties.… Read the rest
BBC on the murder of Salman Taseer
Jan 4th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Interior Minister Rehman Malik said the guard told police that he killed Taseer because of the governor’s opposition to Pakistan’s blasphemy law.… Read the rest
Salman Taseer murdered by his own security guard
Jan 4th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Governor of Punjab opposed Pakistan’s blasphemy law.… Read the rest
Rebecca Watson on Christianity and healthy eating
Jan 3rd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
And Conservapedia. See this picture of Chuck Norris? QED.… Read the rest
Theocrats aren’t apathetic, so why are you?
Jan 3rd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The religious right brazenly claims the moral high ground, insisting that their biblical interpretations allow them to dictate “family values” to everyone else.… Read the rest
Blair talks more stupid kak about religion
Jan 3rd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“Common to all great religions is love of neighbors and human equality before God.” Please.… Read the rest
More science eduation: more on species
Jan 3rd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The problem is to explain why nature is discontinuous rather than continuous.… Read the rest
Science education: Coyne on speciation
Jan 3rd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The “biological species concept” and its connection to what most evolutionists see as “the species problem.”… Read the rest
Cairo: demonstrations protest sectarianism
Jan 2nd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Human rights activists and bloggers are organizing a silent stand along the Kornish of Cairo on Friday afternoon.… Read the rest
Nick Cohen on Hungary and the EU
Jan 2nd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Fidesz was elected with a clear mandate for change. If change involves attacking fundamental rights, that does not appear to be Brussels’s concern.… Read the rest
Ashtiani case may be dismissed
Jan 2nd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“She said she wanted to sue some of those involved in the campaign to free her for ‘bringing disgrace on me and the country’.” Terrific.… Read the rest
David Foster Wallace and Wittgenstein
Jan 1st, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Though it represented a clean break from philosophy, fiction offered something comparable to the feeling of aesthetic recognition in mathematical logic.… Read the rest
