Williams was one of a group of biologists who completely changed the nature of evolutionary theory in the past half century.… 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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
Kurt Westergaard receives press freedom award 
Sep 9th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
BBC does its usual best to make him sound like a very bad man; Merkel notes the value of press freedom.… Read the rest
Catholic pilgrims told to make sacrifices
Sep 9th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Bishops told to finger their gold torture-device for the photographer.… Read the rest
Florida godbotherer ditches bonfire plans
Sep 9th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Rage boys give their tonsils a good airing.… Read the rest
An apostate on Park 51 and reasonable criticism
Sep 9th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Let us ask the important questions about problems within Islam instead of weird arithmetic about the distance from Park 51 to Ground Zero.… Read the rest
Johann Hari to Britain’s Catholics
Sep 9th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Ratzinger refuses to let any police officer see the Vatican’s documentation, even now.… Read the rest
Paula Kirby on the Vatican and sin versus crime
Sep 9th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
What is a crime against a mere child compared with a crime against God?… Read the rest
Romania tries to tax witches and fortune tellers
Sep 9th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A law where witches and fortune tellers would have to produce receipts, and would also be held liable for wrong predictions.… Read the rest
Statement by Ashtiani’s son
Sep 9th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“I ask the eight industrial countries and Turkey and Brazil and the entire world to continue the pressure against Iran.”… Read the rest
BBC replies to Maryam; Maryam replies to BBC
Sep 9th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Saying that stoning is no longer in existence in Iran or labeling Ms Ashtiani a murderer has direct bearings on her case.… Read the rest
Citizens of the world against flogging and stoning
Sep 9th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The Islamist regime in Iran is killing Sakineh little by little, to demonstrate its continued existence.… Read the rest
The sexually abused dancing boys of Afghanistan
Sep 8th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Dancing boys are picked out at a young age by men who cruise the streets looking for boys among the poor and vulnerable.… Read the rest
Congo rape victims estimate rises again
Sep 8th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The estimate has risen from 150 to 240 to more than 500.… Read the rest
HRW says India should ban degrading rape “test”
Sep 8th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Many Indian hospitals routinely subject rape survivors to forensic examinations that include the unscientific and degrading “finger” test.… Read the rest
Jesus and Mo discuss that wack guy in Florida
Sep 8th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
What to do about such intolerance and barbarity? Mo has a suggestion.… Read the rest
Joseph Hoffmann asks: should atheism be studied?
Sep 8th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
We are enshrining mystery when there is no mystery. We are saying “Who could possibly know?” when there are plenty of people who know.… Read the rest
Susan Greenfield calls atheist scientists “smug”
Sep 8th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“When they assume, rather in a Taliban-like way, that they have all the answers then I do feel uncomfortable.”… Read the rest
Robert Fisk on a vicious patriarchal system
Sep 7th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Forced to marry her own rapist, Hanan now lives in terror of losing her son – and of being murdered by her family.… Read the rest
“Psychic” says a sanctuary croc ate 2 missing children
Sep 7th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
So many of the crocs in the sanctuary were killed, and the sanctuary was demolished. Good work.… Read the rest
Robert Fisk on “honour” killings
Sep 7th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
How should one react to a man who rapes his own daughter and, when she becomes pregnant, kills her to save the “honour” of his family?… Read the rest
