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Inevitably links go out of date.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.


Music ‘Produced By and For Social Elites’ *

Feb 6th, 2006 | Filed by

It is snobbish and improbable to assume that complex art is appreciated only by the upper class.… Read the rest



Four People Killed in Cartoon Protests *

Feb 6th, 2006 | Filed by

‘They want to know whether Muslims are extremists or not. Death to them and to their newspapers.’… Read the rest



Peter Berkowitz Reviews Theory’s Empire *

Feb 6th, 2006 | Filed by

Theory is The Key to almost everything.… Read the rest



Jordanian Editors Arrested for Insulting Religion *

Feb 5th, 2006 | Filed by

‘Muslims of the world be reasonable,’ wrote Mr Momani, so no wonder he got busted.… Read the rest



Munira Mirza Says Muslims Want Freedom Too *

Feb 5th, 2006 | Filed by

Censorship in the West bolsters the moral authority of leaders in the Middle East to censor their own citizens.… Read the rest



A-Level Maths Dumbed Down? *

Feb 5th, 2006 | Filed by

Many teachers think so; others think A-Levels help all students to succeed. At what?… Read the rest



White House Tells NASA What to Say *

Feb 5th, 2006 | Filed by

For instance, to add the word ‘theory’ after every mention of the Big Bang.… Read the rest



NASA Admin’s Statement on Scientific Openness *

Feb 5th, 2006 | Filed by

‘It is not the job of public affairs officers to alter, filter or adjust engineering or scientific material produced by NASA’s technical staff.’… Read the rest



Bad Astronomy Takes Issue With George Deutsch *

Feb 5th, 2006 | Filed by

Young party hack orders NASA to teach religion – what’s the problem?… Read the rest



Embassies Burn in Damascus as Tantrums Continue *

Feb 4th, 2006 | Filed by

Vatican says right to freedom of expression does not imply right to offend religious beliefs.… Read the rest



No One Knows What the Prophet Looked Like *

Feb 4th, 2006 | Filed by

No one could seriously claim to recognise the Prophet in images drawn by Danish cartoonists.… Read the rest



World Press Reaction *

Feb 4th, 2006 | Filed by

One thing to assert the right to publish, another thing to put that right to the test. Oh.… Read the rest



The Guardian Takes a Stand *

Feb 4th, 2006 | Filed by

Against teasing ‘the founder of one of the world’s three great monotheistic religions.’… Read the rest



Ibn Warraq Urges Solidarity With the Cartoonists *

Feb 4th, 2006 | Filed by

Unashamed, noisy, public solidarity, lest the forces trying to impose a totalitarian ideology win.… Read the rest



Having a Thin Skin Can Be Used as a Weapon *

Feb 4th, 2006 | Filed by

It allows people to create their own definition of respect and require us to observe it.… Read the rest



Petition to Defend Free Speech and Secularism *

Feb 4th, 2006 | Filed by

Condemn threats and violence as a way to silence criticism and satire.… Read the rest



Agnès Callamard of Article 19 on Prophetic Fallacy *

Feb 3rd, 2006 | Filed by

One striking feature of these events is the remarkable absence of sensible dialogue.… Read the rest



Sign and Sight Gives Useful Overview *

Feb 3rd, 2006 | Filed by

A survey of the European press on the cartoons.… Read the rest



Jyllands-Posten Editor Says it was Worth It *

Feb 3rd, 2006 | Filed by

‘We wanted to show how deeply entrenched self-censorship has already become.’… Read the rest



Richard Wolin on Levinas and Heidegger *

Feb 3rd, 2006 | Filed by

By rejecting reason, Heidegger severed the pivotal link between insight and emancipation.… Read the rest