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Inevitably links go out of date.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.


Three Sisters Stabbed to Death in Gaza *

Jul 25th, 2007 | Filed by

Hamdi Shakkour of Palestinian Center for Human Rights said they suspect the women were victims of ‘honor crimes.’… Read the rest



More Immunity for Religion, Islam in Particular *

Jul 25th, 2007 | Filed by

Malaysian government warns it could use anti-terrorism laws against bloggers who ‘insult’ Islam.… Read the rest



Kidnaped Danish Journalist Released in Afghan. *

Jul 25th, 2007 | Filed by

Two German journalists missing, one killed.… Read the rest



Shambo to be Killed; Monks ‘Warn’ Officials *

Jul 25th, 2007 | Filed by

‘They will have to physically desecrate a temple to get him. They will have to interrupt an act of worship.’… Read the rest



Point of Inquiry Interview With OB *

Jul 24th, 2007 | Filed by

Truth, meritocracy, anti-intellectualism, the harm principle, Keats, the Santa Claus argument for God.… Read the rest



Benson and Stangroom on Intellectual Adolescence *

Jul 24th, 2007 | Filed by

Contrarianism has a proud intellectual heritage, but in its postmodern flowering it became merely juvenile.… Read the rest



Biologists Receive Threatening Letters *

Jul 24th, 2007 | Filed by

Police at U of Colorado say they know who sent threats to biology professors who teach evolution.… Read the rest



Nigel Warburton on The Death of Socrates *

Jul 24th, 2007 | Filed by

Emily Wilson provides plausible explanations of why the Athenians were so ready to execute Socrates.… Read the rest



Utilitarianism, Happiness, Mill *

Jul 24th, 2007 | Filed by

Roger Crisp, author of an acclaimed book on Mill, explains Mill’s utilitarian ethical theory. … Read the rest



What US Voters Want *

Jul 23rd, 2007 | Filed by

Gotta believe in God, but in the right, sane, normal way; none of this funny stuff.… Read the rest



Does the Religious Majority Rule? *

Jul 23rd, 2007 | Filed by

How quickly insiders can become outsiders.… Read the rest



Jesus and Mo on Sophisticated Theology *

Jul 23rd, 2007 | Filed by

What God is a metaphor for.… Read the rest



It’s All Metaphor, I Tell You *

Jul 23rd, 2007 | Filed by

If this god is a metaphor, why are people always building real monuments and cathedrals to it?… Read the rest



James Ryerson on Rorty *

Jul 23rd, 2007 | Filed by

His work was ‘welcomed by theoretically minded professors of literature and cultural studies.’… Read the rest



Pressure from Neocons and Islamophobes *

Jul 22nd, 2007 | Filed by

The remedy is to put the mosque at the heart of everything. Or perhaps not.… Read the rest



‘Multi-faith’ Schools the Remedy for Segregation *

Jul 22nd, 2007 | Filed by

Or perhaps not.… Read the rest



Mo Explains the ‘Nurse Five Times’ Fatwa *

Jul 22nd, 2007 | Filed by

The barmaid becomes lachrymose.… Read the rest



Center for Inquiry Ontario *

Jul 22nd, 2007 | Filed by

Building the atheist church basement.… Read the rest



It’s a Colonialist Project! *

Jul 22nd, 2007 | Filed by

No, it’s about writing off political stances that do not fit the strategic priorities of the west!… Read the rest



A Converted Postmodernist *

Jul 20th, 2007 | Filed by

Browses in Blackwell’s, reads TPM, reads an ad for the Fashionable Dictionary, reads that, laughs.… Read the rest