HRW says no, Doug Ireland says yes.… 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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
Barney Frank on the Plebiscitary Presidency 
Jul 21st, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The president is not the single decider. He is the most important in a system of multiple sources of power.… Read the rest
Barney Frank’s Speech to Congress
Jul 21st, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘This is an administration which considers checks and balances to be a hindrance to effective governance.’… Read the rest
The Fad for Yob Lit
Jul 21st, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Gilbert recasts insignificant bits of everyday life as being the source of social decay today. … Read the rest
Iowan Arrested for Flying Upside-down Flag
Jul 21st, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Charged with disorderly conduct, getting death threats from a forum on a Marine vets’ website.… Read the rest
Guatemala: Killings of Women Increase in 2006
Jul 20th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Over 2,200 women and girls have been brutally murdered in Guatemala since 2001.… Read the rest
Older Students to be Allowed not to Worship
Jul 20th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Younger students still forced to attend daily ‘collective worship’ in UK.… Read the rest
Bush Brandishes Baby, Vetoes Stem Cell Bill
Jul 20th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Leading researchers call Bush ‘hypocritical’, ‘out of touch’ and ‘selfish’ over his decision.… Read the rest
Japanese PM Continutes to Visit War Shrine
Jul 20th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Despite the presence of war criminals there and anger of Korea and China.… Read the rest
Danny Postel Interview with Ramin Jahanbegloo
Jul 20th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Interview was conducted via e-mail in January and February 2006 – just before Jahanbegloo’s arrest.… Read the rest
Maclean’s Provides Articles on/by Jahanbegloo
Jul 20th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Ottawa is powerless to do anything about the imprisonment of one of its citizens.… Read the rest
Wot’s ‘Cultural Competencies’?
Jul 19th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
It has to do with the pleasure of interpretation.… Read the rest
Scott McLemee on Philip Rieff
Jul 19th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
His writing resembled the private language of some brilliant but eccentric rabbi. … Read the rest
Richard Ashcroft Discusses Medical Ethics
Jul 19th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
In all of Ashcroft’s work, there is a trade off between the scientific and the philosophical.… Read the rest
More Scott McLemee on Philip Rieff
Jul 19th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Rieff’s ideas are still very much in the vein of what Sontag denounced as ‘piety without content.’… Read the rest
Trevor-Roper Wrote a Good Letter
Jul 19th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The Observer is skewered as ‘that declining organ of Germanic Wykehamist apocalyptic socialism.’… Read the rest
Sunny Hundal on Identity Games
Jul 18th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The Hindu Council UK decided to lob their own grenade in the identity politics debate last week.… Read the rest
Inayat Bunglawala on Bright and the MCB
Jul 18th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Look for Sunny’s comments.… Read the rest
What it Takes to Teach Literature at University
Jul 18th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A decade or more of immersion in a highly politicized and anti-literary academic culture.… Read the rest
Interview With Katha Pollitt
Jul 18th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
So, what about that stupid Wonkette review? Well, it was stupid.… Read the rest
