‘I still think this here blogosphere is a great venue for public intellectual work.’… 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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
‘Diverse Communities’: Vibrant or Suspicious? 
Jan 12th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Well, kind of vibrantly suspicious.… Read the rest
Grayling on an Obscenity Against Human Rights
Jan 12th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
This effort to halt the fight against the evil of discrimination is a step too far by the religious.… Read the rest
Religion in Britain in Blair Era
Jan 12th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Secularists dismayed by what they see as the growing influence of religion on government.… Read the rest
Call for ‘Faith-based’ NHS Services
Jan 12th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Need to avoid ‘porcine and alcohol derived drugs’, access to prayer facilities and Ramadan advice cited.… Read the rest
BBC Fella Says Truth Matters
Jan 11th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Says Jeremy deals with various challenges to truth in the interview. A likely story.… Read the rest
Oh Good, Another Identity Community
Jan 11th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Deaf is the new ethnic.… Read the rest
Historian Roughed Up, Jailed for Jaywalking
Jan 11th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Felipe Fernandez-Armesto tried to cross street in middle of block. The horror!… Read the rest
Nature as Book Metaphor Has its Dangers
Jan 11th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The image suggests that the ‘text’ of the book of nature has a divine origin.… Read the rest
French Intellectuals Sold Out Redeker
Jan 11th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Editorial board of Le Monde called his remarks about Muhammad ‘a blasphemy.’ Adieu, secularism.… Read the rest
Innocent People Fear Fanatical Lesbian Wings
Jan 10th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Peers crushed attempts to block new gay rights laws despite fears of ‘a charter for suing Christians.’… Read the rest
Paul Boghossian’s Fear of Knowledge Reviewed
Jan 10th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Fine job of assessing the sort of relativism/constructivism advocated by Rorty and fans.… Read the rest
Elizabeth Fox-Genovese 1941-2007
Jan 10th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
She ascribed her political transformation in part to her growing embrace of religion. … Read the rest
Graffiti of the Wandjina not Allowed
Jan 9th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Depicting the Wandjina without permission would traditionally have resulted in spearing.… Read the rest
Polly Toynbee on Interfaith Homophobia
Jan 9th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Good reasons why the state should step back from infatuation with faith provision of social services.… Read the rest
Challenge to Gay Rights Law Fails 3 to 1
Jan 9th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Call to annul the regulations was defeated by 199 votes to 68.… Read the rest
Right to Discriminate Not Upheld
Jan 9th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Some religious groups have said the laws will force them to promote gay sex.… Read the rest
Archbishop gets Dewy-eyed Over Nazi Era
Jan 9th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘We had everything we wanted,’ says Jan Sokol mistily.… Read the rest
Pat Robertson the Mad Mullah
Jan 9th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Says god told him there would be mass killing in US late in 2007. God told me Pat’s a chump.… Read the rest
Fred Halliday on the World’s Twelve Worst Ideas
Jan 9th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Post’-feminism, anti-secularism, no need for condoms, force is all ‘they’ understand.… Read the rest
