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Inevitably links go out of date.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.


On Debating Torture *

Dec 13th, 2006 | Filed by

‘To insist on one view at the expense of the other is necessarily to violate deeply held moral intuitions.’… Read the rest



Shalom Lappin Replies to Jacqueline Rose *

Dec 13th, 2006 | Filed by

Criticising Zionism is entirely legitimate; attempting to pass these criticisms off as therapeutic advice is not.… Read the rest



Toppness of WTM News in Wales *

Dec 13th, 2006 | Filed by

Quiet place, Wales.… Read the rest



Take That, Pesky Microfascists *

Dec 12th, 2006 | Filed by

Academic article solemnly disputes blog commenters.… Read the rest



Why James Clerk Maxwell Matters *

Dec 12th, 2006 | Filed by

He carried out the first profound unification of nature’s forces. … Read the rest



Ethiopia Finds Mengistu Guilty of Genocide *

Dec 12th, 2006 | Filed by

Junta ‘set up a hit squad to decimate, torture and destroy groups opposing the Mengistu regime.’… Read the rest



Another Denver Megachurch Pastor Resigns *

Dec 12th, 2006 | Filed by

Because of humping men. Colorado new hotbed of tragic conflicted queer evangelists.… Read the rest



Religious Convictions Have a Hard Edge *

Dec 11th, 2006 | Filed by

Roy Hattersley on worship of a stern and vengeful god.… Read the rest



Theory and Practice of Literary (Mis)reading *

Dec 11th, 2006 | Filed by

On Ziauddin Sardar on ‘Blitcon’.… Read the rest



Pinochet Escapes Prosecution *

Dec 11th, 2006 | Filed by

More than 3,000 people were killed or ‘disappeared’ in his 17-year rule. … Read the rest



Thatcher ‘Greatly Saddened’ at Pinochet’s Death *

Dec 11th, 2006 | Filed by

Diddums.… Read the rest



Hitchens on Pinochet *

Dec 11th, 2006 | Filed by

His death is an occasion to remember the many victims of his state and international terrorism.… Read the rest



Roger Scruton Talks to the CBC *

Dec 10th, 2006 | Filed by

‘The most controversial but best-read philosopher in Britain’ – perhaps jet lagged.… Read the rest



The Bishops are on the Prowl *

Dec 10th, 2006 | Filed by

A harmonious society is not best served by archbishops passing themselves off as a persecuted minority.… Read the rest



Ian Hacking: Whose Body Is It? *

Dec 10th, 2006 | Filed by

How dead is brain-dead?… Read the rest



Is Politics Merely Show Biz? *

Dec 10th, 2006 | Filed by

The danger of a large diverse group is that the loudest voices will dominate and a herd mentality will take over.… Read the rest



Russell Jacoby Has Doubts About Arendt *

Dec 10th, 2006 | Filed by

But makes an exception for Eichmann in Jerusalem.… Read the rest



Robert McCrum on Sardar’s ‘Ludicrous Piece’ *

Dec 9th, 2006 | Filed by

‘Planet Sardar is barely on any intellectual radar I’d care to consult.’… Read the rest



An ‘Aggressive Secularist’ Speaks *

Dec 9th, 2006 | Filed by

Terry Sanderson wonders if the Archbishop of York is fully in control of his faculties.… Read the rest



Corruption in Congress *

Dec 9th, 2006 | Filed by

A conspiracy to use ‘campaign contributions’ to bribe politicians.… Read the rest