Of the 1,125 billionaires who made last year’s ranking, 373 fell off the list.… 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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
Johann Hari: Africa’s Hidden War on Women 
Mar 12th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Girls have their genitals chopped off; old women risk being killed as witches.… Read the rest
Pervez Kambaksh and the Advance of the Taliban
Mar 12th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
20 years for circulating an article about women’s rights would make a mockery of any judicial system.… Read the rest
Pervez Kambaksh Faces 20 Years in Hell
Mar 12th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Afghanistan’s highest court ruled against Kambaksh without even hearing his defence.… Read the rest
Prince Charles is ‘a Dangerous Dodgy Quack’
Mar 11th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Under the banner of holistic and integrative healthcare, he thus promotes a “quick fix” and outright quackery.’… Read the rest
Irony Files: Private Jet for Global Warming Junket
Mar 11th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Prince Charles will travel by private jet on a tour to campaign against global warming.… Read the rest
Duchy Herbals Detox Tincture
Mar 11th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
How to use Duchy Herbals Detox Tincture: take 2.5ml in a glass of water twice per day.… Read the rest
It’s Here at Last – Quantum Jumping
Mar 11th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The shocking yet immensely effective technique transforms anyone into universe-hopping utopian beings.… Read the rest
Economist Distraught: Obama is not a Conservative
Mar 11th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Shock-horror: he is actually overturning Bush administration policies and upsetting conservatives.… Read the rest
Prince Charles and Detox Quackery
Mar 10th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Prince Charles financially exploits a gullible public in a time of financial hardship,’ says Edzard Ernst.… Read the rest
Mugabe Says God Killed Susan Tsvangirai
Mar 10th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
British foreign ministry said the truck in the crash was part of an aid project; it appeared to be a genuine accident.… Read the rest
Can Chimps Anticipate Future Mental States?
Mar 10th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Zoo chimp calmly collected stones, used them later for dominance display when agitated.… Read the rest
More Americans Say They Have No Religion
Mar 10th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Yes, we have no religion; we have no religion today.… Read the rest
Normblog on Causes and Gifts
Mar 10th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
If 7/7 was ‘a gift from Blair’ then why isn’t the war in Afghanistan ‘a gift from Bin Laden’?… Read the rest
CFI London: God in the Lab
Mar 10th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
What goes on the brain of someone hearing voices? Come and see the MRI scans. Is religious belief hard-wired?… Read the rest
Jesus and Mo on Crime and Punishment
Mar 10th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Mo is a little harsh at times.… Read the rest
Saudi Woman Sentenced to Lashes for ‘Mingling’
Mar 9th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Khamisa Mohammed Sawadi, age 75, had two unrelated men in her house, will get 40 lashes.… Read the rest
Ian Buruma Frets About Free Speech
Mar 9th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Mocking the beliefs of minorities is not quite the same thing as taking on the views of majorities.’… Read the rest
Obama Lifts Limits on Stem Cell Research
Mar 9th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Pledging to ‘make scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology,’ Obama ditched Bush’s EO.… Read the rest
Zimbabwe: Mukoko, Other Activists Out on Bail
Mar 9th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Mukoko and Takawira were victims of enforced disappearance, unlawful arrest, detention, and torture.… Read the rest
