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Inevitably links go out of date.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.


Philosopher Goes Into a Pub and Says *

Jan 11th, 2008 | Filed by

‘Everybody loves my baby, but my baby don’t love nobody but me.’ From this, it logically follows that ‘I am my baby.’… Read the rest



Is Slavoj Žižek Serious? *

Jan 11th, 2008 | Filed by

Which produces the greatest terror, action or inaction? … Read the rest



Speigel Talks to Wangari Maathai *

Jan 10th, 2008 | Filed by

At some point we will have reached a level at which violence becomes an end in itself and can no longer be stopped.… Read the rest



Binyavanga Wainaina on Kenya *

Jan 10th, 2008 | Filed by

The bloody attacks here do not reflect primordial hatreds. They reflect the manipulation of identity for political gain.… Read the rest



Terry Sanderson on Blasphemy Law *

Jan 9th, 2008 | Filed by

Proposed restrictions on ‘incitement to religious hatred’ and ‘defamation of religion’ show up around the globe.… Read the rest



Canadian Islamic Congress v Maclean’s *

Jan 8th, 2008 | Filed by

The Canadian Islamic Congress has launched two human rights complaints against Maclean’s. … Read the rest



HNN Interviews Charlie Savage *

Jan 8th, 2008 | Filed by

Cheney has wanted to restore the imperial presidency for three decades.… Read the rest



The US Doesn’t Understand Pakistan *

Jan 8th, 2008 | Filed by

Pakistan’s national identity is based on not being Hindu – a thin reed on which to hang a unified state.… Read the rest



Research on Boredom *

Jan 8th, 2008 | Filed by

Level of attention, an aspect of conscious awareness, plays an important role in boredom.… Read the rest



Amendment to Abolish UK Blasphemy Law *

Jan 8th, 2008 | Filed by

Signatories include Philip Pullman, Ricky Gervais, Richard Dawkins, Nick Hytner. … Read the rest



Tariq Ramadan is Rather Bossy *

Jan 8th, 2008 | Filed by

‘Islamic studies must be taken seriously. Politicians, university administrators, faculty and students must say so.’… Read the rest



Rebecca Goldstein on Falsifiability *

Jan 7th, 2008 | Filed by

Scientists don’t, and shouldn’t, jettison a theory as soon as a disconfirming datum comes in.… Read the rest



H E Baber on the Solidarity of the Oppressed *

Jan 7th, 2008 | Filed by

First we needed to combat the oppression of minority males; then there would be time for luxuries like feminism.… Read the rest



British Imams Get Inadequate Training *

Jan 7th, 2008 | Filed by

Musharraf Hussain gives withering assessment of training in many of Britain’s 26 Islamic seminaries. … Read the rest



Doubts About Education in Islamic Seminaries *

Jan 7th, 2008 | Filed by

16 of the 25 UK seminaries, producing 80% of graduates, are Deobandi.… Read the rest



Iranian Artist Threatened With ‘Execution’ *

Jan 7th, 2008 | Filed by

She photographed gay men wearing masks of the prophet; her work was removed from the Hague museum.… Read the rest



Funny Way to Apologize *

Jan 7th, 2008 | Filed by

Vatican calls for ‘perpetual adoration’ of eucharist to atone for sex abuse.… Read the rest



More Power for Muslim Women *

Jan 7th, 2008 | Filed by

Bunglawala says the government wants Muslim women to act as spies.… Read the rest



Universality of Human Rights v Cairo Declaration *

Jan 6th, 2008 | Filed by

The Cairo Declaration definition of human rights differs widely from those of the UDHR.… Read the rest



Mediawatchwatch Reads the UN Resolution *

Jan 6th, 2008 | Filed by

‘The right to freedom of expression should be exercised with responsibility and may therefore be subject to limitations…’… Read the rest