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Inevitably links go out of date.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.


‘Tide of Anger’ Forces Newspaper to Submit *

Jan 31st, 2006 | Filed by

‘Militant groups’ make threats.… Read the rest



Steve Fuller Defends Excluded Marginalized ID *

Jan 31st, 2006 | Filed by

‘We wouldn’t have science as we know it today if it weren’t for monotheism,’ he claims.… Read the rest



The Culture of Self-censorship is a Creeping Thing *

Jan 31st, 2006 | Filed by

The religious hatred bill shifts the cultural balance away from free speech and towards appeasement. … Read the rest



US States Plan Law to Restrict Anti-gay Demos *

Jan 31st, 2006 | Filed by

Fred Phelps and ‘God hates fags’ gang would be required to stay 300 feet away from funerals.… Read the rest



Threats of Violence Fail to Disrupt Lahore Marathon *

Jan 30th, 2006 | Filed by

‘You can’t reason with these people,’ notes race co-ordinator. Crowds cheer as women and men run.… Read the rest



Vatican Nervous About Inquisition Publicity *

Jan 30th, 2006 | Filed by

Campaigns to root out error and unorthodoxy by torturing and killing thousands not so bad.… Read the rest



Iqbal Sacranie Hoist With His Own Petard *

Jan 30th, 2006 | Filed by

What was that he said about Kilroy-Silk in 2004? Oh yes…… Read the rest



Changes in Religious Hatred Bill Urged *

Jan 30th, 2006 | Filed by

Peers voted to restrict to threatening words or behaviour, but ministers want to include insults and abuse.… Read the rest



ID is Breathtaking Inanity *

Jan 30th, 2006 | Filed by

Matt Ridley, Steve Jones answer Telegraph editorial (scroll down to end).… Read the rest



The Mysterious Death of Samira Munir *

Jan 29th, 2006 | Filed by

Anti-assimilation sentiment as oppressive pressure on those most easily controlled, girls and women.… Read the rest



Bad Arguments for Theism *

Jan 29th, 2006 | Filed by

Lots of things are intolerable; that doesn’t make them untrue. You can’t eat a stone by believing it is cheese.… Read the rest



Last-ditch Effort to Bury Religious Hatred Bill *

Jan 29th, 2006 | Filed by

Labour now plans to make it an offence to incite religious hatred through use of insulting or abusive words.… Read the rest



Pakistani Women Run in Race Despite Pressure *

Jan 29th, 2006 | Filed by

MMA opposed the mixing of men and women and had urged protesters to disrupt the race. … Read the rest



Bullying Women in Afghanistan *

Jan 29th, 2006 | Filed by

Men line up to call woman a prostitute, bitch, un-Islamic whore – for taking a driving test.… Read the rest



Undoing Roe v Wade Bit by Bit *

Jan 28th, 2006 | Filed by

No need to overturn it outright if you can just make it unavailable.… Read the rest



Michael Bérubé on Academic Freedom *

Jan 28th, 2006 | Filed by

Decisions about academic affairs should be conducted by means of peer review rather than by plebescite.… Read the rest



Saul Kripke: Not ‘What Am I?’ but ‘What Is I?’ *

Jan 28th, 2006 | Filed by

Naming and Necessity is among the most influential philosophy books of the last 50 years.… Read the rest



Kofi Annan Condemns Holocaust Denial *

Jan 28th, 2006 | Filed by

UN Secretary General says world must challenge those who deny the Holocaust happened.… Read the rest



Bastards Burn Down Schools in Afghanistan *

Jan 28th, 2006 | Filed by

Officials blamed Taleban for burning down newly-built schools which serve 1,000 boys and girls. … Read the rest



Clive James Has not a Blog but a Website *

Jan 28th, 2006 | Filed by

Books go out of print but websites can be archived. Writers like that.… Read the rest