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Inevitably links go out of date.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.


How the Taung Baby Was Killed *

Jan 14th, 2006 | Filed by

It was an eagle. Hominids had to look up as well as around.… Read the rest



Maori Community and Fire Brigade Community *

Jan 13th, 2006 | Filed by

‘Memorandum will help the Maori community and the fire brigade understand each other’s cultures.’… Read the rest



Oxford Police Horse Homophobia Case Dropped *

Jan 13th, 2006 | Filed by

Student said to officer, ‘Excuse me, do you realise your horse is gay?’ Bystanders were offended.… Read the rest



Pastor Arrested Over ‘Child Witchcraft’ Cruelty *

Jan 13th, 2006 | Filed by

Allegedly advised parents to beat devil out of them or send them to DRC so that he could pray for them to be killed.… Read the rest



Eyebrows Raised at Public Order Act *

Jan 13th, 2006 | Filed by

And investigation of Sacranie for merely stating an opinion.… Read the rest



Johann Hari in Praise of Richard Dawkins *

Jan 13th, 2006 | Filed by

Only as you watch the film do you realise how rare it is to hear arguments against organised superstition.… Read the rest



Hundreds Killed in Hajj Stampede *

Jan 12th, 2006 | Filed by

Bottleneck happened near stone walls representing the devil that are pelted with stones.… Read the rest



Yet More Guardian Mush About ‘Faith’ *

Jan 12th, 2006 | Filed by

Familiar, woolly, starry-eyed.… Read the rest



Sacranie Under Investigation *

Jan 12th, 2006 | Filed by

Perhaps he said something in the hearing of someone who might be distressed thereby.… Read the rest



Rochdale Council Sued Over ‘Satanic Abuse’ Case *

Jan 12th, 2006 | Filed by

Social services thought they had uncovered a group of ritual devil worshippers.… Read the rest



Horowitz Admits Not Having Evidence *

Jan 12th, 2006 | Filed by

Says criticism is nit-picking, and that ‘everybody knows’.… Read the rest



Criticism of ‘Academic Bill of Rights’ *

Jan 12th, 2006 | Filed by

Call for ‘other viewpoints’ could invite Holocaust deniers or creationists to demand equal time.… Read the rest



Satanic Abuse Panic in Rochdale *

Jan 11th, 2006 | Filed by

A judge ruled there was no evidence, but the children were taken away all the same.… Read the rest



Fundamentalism and Freedom *

Jan 11th, 2006 | Filed by

Life in a cardboard box is essentially liberating for women.… Read the rest



Richard Dawkins is not a Great Fan of Religion *

Jan 11th, 2006 | Filed by

‘We treat it with a politically correct reverence that we don’t accord to any other institution.’… Read the rest



Politicians Commit Terminological Inexactitudes *

Jan 11th, 2006 | Filed by

Julian Baggini on the morality of lying.… Read the rest



We Are Not Who We Think We Are *

Jan 11th, 2006 | Filed by

Inability to predict shifts of Supreme Court justices reflects fundamental attribution error.… Read the rest



Ishtiaq Ahmed on What Intellectuals Should Do *

Jan 11th, 2006 | Filed by

Concerned intellectuals must see to it that open debate and the right to criticise is never compromised. … Read the rest



Norman Geras on Crimes Against Humanity *

Jan 10th, 2006 | Filed by

The idea of crimes against humanity is a new one, and needs justification and defense.… Read the rest



Chris Mooney on the Kitzmiller Decision *

Jan 10th, 2006 | Filed by

Propaganda campaigns are one thing, and courtrooms are another. Fortunately.… Read the rest