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Inevitably links go out of date.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.


Exhibition Closes After Pressure From Hindu Group *

May 26th, 2006 | Filed by

Lord Desai tells NH of worrying sectarianism in fundamentalist ‘human rights’ group.… Read the rest



Norm Geras on the Path Out of Denial *

May 26th, 2006 | Filed by

Idea that Euston Manifesto is pro-war is a result of misreading of the geography of the left.… Read the rest



Today ‘Interviews’ Flemming Rose [audio] *

May 26th, 2006 | Filed by

Don’t listen if you have high blood pressure.… Read the rest



Forget Leonardo, Check Out Athanasius Kircher *

May 26th, 2006 | Filed by

Nothing to do with Dan Brown, so that’s a plus.… Read the rest



35th Skeptics’ Circle *

May 25th, 2006 | Filed by

Hosted by a creationist guest.… Read the rest



Susan Jacoby Says No Thanks to Goddy Politics *

May 25th, 2006 | Filed by

Framers of the Constitution did not write, as they might have, ‘we the people under God’.… Read the rest



Conflicting Opinion Drives Scientific Advance *

May 25th, 2006 | Filed by

A further step down a well defined road wins easier acceptance than a deviation from the beaten track. … Read the rest



Happy Birthday J S Mill *

May 25th, 2006 | Filed by

Missouri town enforces family values via law against unmarried couples with children.… Read the rest



Abuse Plagues Muslim Women in Germany *

May 25th, 2006 | Filed by

Forced marriages often turn into violent homes. … Read the rest



Dworkin on Cost-benefit Analysis of Human Rights *

May 24th, 2006 | Filed by

We insist on these rights even though the majority would be more comfortable if we ignored them.… Read the rest



Petition in Support of Ayaan Hirsi Ali *

May 24th, 2006 | Filed by

Homa Arjomand, Maryam Namazie, Irshad Manji, Caroline Fourest have signed.… Read the rest



Doctors Criticize Bogus Treatments *

May 24th, 2006 | Filed by

Letter from 13 doctors seen as challenge to Prince C’s campaign for ‘complementary therapies’.… Read the rest



Ally of Prince C Calls Signers ‘Clinical Barons’ *

May 24th, 2006 | Filed by

Director of Royal Homeopathic hospital said doctors’ attitude amounted to ‘medical apartheid’.… Read the rest



Murder Conviction in Birmingham Riot Case *

May 23rd, 2006 | Filed by

‘Members’ of the ‘black community’ fought with ‘members’ of the ‘Asian community’ over a rumour.… Read the rest



Where Does Happiness Come From? *

May 23rd, 2006 | Filed by

The gods, fate, genes, a thermostat.… Read the rest



Hitchens on the Harassment of Hirsi Ali *

May 23rd, 2006 | Filed by

One might have expected a more robust defense of her position from the Dutch and the international left.… Read the rest



Everyone Who Sees This Will Be Offended *

May 23rd, 2006 | Filed by

I feel humiliated. I want to humiliate the person who did this to an extent that he never works again.… Read the rest



Discourse is Not the Only Reality *

May 23rd, 2006 | Filed by

The left went wrong when it devalued knowledge as merely a masked form of power,… Read the rest



Old Norm and Young Nick at Euston *

May 23rd, 2006 | Filed by

Success of Euston Manifesto suggests there is a vein of rational progressivism on the left.… Read the rest



Can Historians Judge Contemporary Presidents? *

May 22nd, 2006 | Filed by

Historians need to wait and see how things turn out before getting too far along in their assessments. … Read the rest