Johann Hari and David Aaronovitch for, Helena Kennedy and Philippe Sands against. Hari and Aaaro won.… 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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
Hitchens on Mel Gibson’s Catholic bigotry 
Jul 23rd, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
What he is issuing is the distilled violence, cruelty, and bigotry that stretches from the Crusades through the Inquisition to fascism.… Read the rest
Fox “News” forgot to question the source
Jul 23rd, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
If you have no reason to trust the source, and you do have reasons not to, then don’t trust it.… Read the rest
Rahila Gupta on Amnesty’s smoke and mirrors
Jul 23rd, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
One of Oxfam’s projects in India is headed by a BJP member, to the horror of local rights groups; AI could learn from this example.… Read the rest
UK to change law so that pope won’t be busted
Jul 23rd, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Justice Secretary wants changes to rules on universal jurisdiction, which allows individuals to be prosecuted for serious crimes.… Read the rest
BioLogos and DI sponsor a symposium
Jul 23rd, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The speakers in the symposium include BioLogos president Darrel Falk and Stephen Meyer of the Discovery Institute.… Read the rest
What Breitbart’s trick teaches us
Jul 23rd, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
That the Right has a strategy of stoking racist fears and that Democrats collapse instead of fighting back.… Read the rest
Andrew Breitbart is not hard to understand
Jul 23rd, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Lots of people figured it out! It was easy!… Read the rest
Jack of Kent on the integrity of Gillian McKeith
Jul 22nd, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The official Twitter account of Ms McKeith makes libelous accusations.… Read the rest
Ben Goldacre on a quandary
Jul 22nd, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
What do you do, as a campaigner for libel reform, when a litigious millionaire calls you a liar?… Read the rest
Science in school is not just teaching facts
Jul 22nd, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Science lessons should equip students with critical thinking skills, the most important of which is to ask for evidence for truth-claims.… Read the rest
Iran pressuring Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani
Jul 22nd, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
They are trying to make her name campaigners and tell her children to be quiet.… Read the rest
Vilsack, O’Reilly, Hannity wiping egg off faces
Jul 22nd, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
They all took the faked video as Truth and jumped all over Shirley Sherrod.… Read the rest
Jack of Kent on Councillor Dixon and Scientology
Jul 22nd, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Reproduces the Ombudsman’s witless and illiberal response to the complainant, in all its glory.… Read the rest
Cowpathy can cure everything
Jul 21st, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Mix cow milk, urine, dung, butter and ghee, and you get shampoo and cancer medicine.… Read the rest
Gibbs and Vilsack apologize to Sherrod
Jul 21st, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Gibbs says the facts changed. No, the facts didn’t change, your knowledge of the facts changed.… Read the rest
Racial politics in Washington
Jul 21st, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Why did so many people accept Andrew Breitbart’s version of events?… Read the rest
Moses explains accommodationism to the barmaid
Jul 21st, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
It is perfectly possible to reassure people that they can combine science and religion…… Read the rest
Councillor calls Scientology stupid on Twitter
Jul 21st, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Faces a hearing for not showing sufficient “respect.”… Read the rest
Obama: do the right thing, reinstate Sherrod
Jul 21st, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The video was faked. Sherrod was summarily fired. This is no good.… Read the rest
