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Inevitably links go out of date.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.


Pope says priests are a gift to the world *

Jun 14th, 2010 | Filed by

Made no mention of child-rape by priests in Ireland, Germany, Austria, the US and elsewhere.… Read the rest



More Guardian god-coddling *

Jun 14th, 2010 | Filed by

‘The concepts of equality, democracy and the right to be treated justly were gifted to the nations by the Bible.’… Read the rest



Oliver Kamm on Sholto and sharia *

Jun 14th, 2010 | Filed by

Byrnes’s views are reactionary and illiberal, and illustrate a fundamental difference of values within the Left.… Read the rest



Madeleine Bunting is excited about something *

Jun 13th, 2010 | Filed by

Big Ideas, insights, intriguing, failed, soul-searching, progressive, Enlightenment, Eurocentrism, Islam, the west, progress, optimism.… Read the rest



One version of Center for Inquiry ‘schism’ *

Jun 13th, 2010 | Filed by

With plenty of rude language for overt atheists and tender language for the people who hate them.… Read the rest



Gender equality in Sweden *

Jun 13th, 2010 | Filed by

‘Society is a mirror of the family. The only way to achieve equality in society is to achieve equality in the home.’… Read the rest



Steven Pinker on moral panics over new media *

Jun 13th, 2010 | Filed by

Media critics write as if the brain takes on the qualities of whatever it consumes.… Read the rest



Ben Goldacre on the superstition effect *

Jun 13th, 2010 | Filed by

Confidence tends to improve performance.… Read the rest



Bangladesh: paper allowed to resume publishing *

Jun 12th, 2010 | Filed by

But the editor of the opposition daily is still in jail, charged with sedition.… Read the rest



A colour never before seen? *

Jun 12th, 2010 | Filed by

What would it be like to see a really new colour?… Read the rest



Mary Midgley on evolution and “anti-god warriors” *

Jun 12th, 2010 | Filed by

A philosopher should not start with a strawman.… Read the rest



If the BP disaster had happened in the Channel *

Jun 12th, 2010 | Filed by

We would not be hearing about “anti-British rhetoric.”… Read the rest



Press conditions deteriorate in Iraqi Kurdistan *

Jun 11th, 2010 | Filed by

Sardasht Osman, 23, a reporter for the opposition semi-monthly Ashtiname, was found shot to death in the city of Mosul on May 6.… Read the rest



Sholto Byrnes replies to critics *

Jun 11th, 2010 | Filed by

By ignoring everything they said.… Read the rest



Right-wing loonies fume at “Britain-bashing” *

Jun 11th, 2010 | Filed by

They’ll be demanding Obama’s birth certificate next.… Read the rest



“Has US bloodlust for BP gone too far?” *

Jun 11th, 2010 | Filed by

If a US corporation destroyed all of Sussex, the British would not say a word. Right?… Read the rest



“Is Obama being anti-British?” *

Jun 11th, 2010 | Filed by

Is that a stupid question?… Read the rest



What would Jehovah do about Gaza? *

Jun 11th, 2010 | Filed by

Paula Kirby notes, the Bible is full of helpful examples to follow.… Read the rest



Syrian women ponder rare political victory *

Jun 10th, 2010 | Filed by

Women’s rights groups successfully resisted a proposed new personal status law.… Read the rest



Johann Hari on human rights as universal *

Jun 10th, 2010 | Filed by

It is never the “culture” of a torture victim to want the torture to continue.… Read the rest