He didn’t drown every single person in New Orleans, and he wiped out much of the sin there.… 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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
Wisdom Lingers – Not 
Sep 8th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Complacency is the deadly enemy of thinking well.… Read the rest
Leaving the Science Bit Out of Science Reporting
Sep 8th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Papers think the ‘science bit’ is too hard, so stories on science must be dumbed down.… Read the rest
Timothy Garton Ash on What’s Underneath
Sep 8th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Civilization sits on a very thin, fragile crust. We fall through so easily.… Read the rest
The Bridge Was Blocked by Armed Sheriffs
Sep 8th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The West Bank was not going to become New Orleans, there would be no Superdomes in their City.… Read the rest
‘Improperly Veiled Women’ Are Criminals in Iran
Sep 8th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Crimes such as mal-veiling are evident crimes and must be dealt with in accordance with the law.… Read the rest
Flogging Promised for ‘Bad Veiling’
Sep 8th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Individuals whose attire is against religious laws in public will be sentenced to flogging and fines.… Read the rest
Heading an Inquiry into Oneself Not Best Practice
Sep 8th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Tax cuts for rich, Medicaid reuctions also dubious in wake of catastrophic hurricane.… Read the rest
Women’s Rights Conference in Islamabad
Sep 8th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Activists note that crimes against women are not an ‘image problem.’… Read the rest
Julian Baggini on Our Role as Cosmic Measurers
Sep 7th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Humans have to do the job not because we’re so great but because there’s no one else.… Read the rest
Eric Foner on Katrina as a New Selma
Sep 7th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The sight of the emaciated children of Lawrence strikers transformed public opinion.… Read the rest
Burqa Ban in Belgium
Sep 7th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
One woman resists law; her husband is suspect in Madrid bombing.… Read the rest
Hostility to French Hijab Ban Fades
Sep 7th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘School is not a place for religion. It is a place where we are all French and we are all equal.’… Read the rest
Shakespeare in Kabul
Sep 7th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Audiences enthusiastic, conservative press sees ‘imposition of western values.’… Read the rest
What a Treat for the Wretched of New Orleans
Sep 7th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
They get to go to Houston! Barbara Bush is so pleased for them.… Read the rest
Overenthusiasm for Drowning
Sep 7th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Conservatives want to cut government ‘down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub.’… Read the rest
Barash on Lloyd on Female Orgasm
Sep 7th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Plasticity is not evidence against selection.… Read the rest
Pray Harder
Sep 7th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Allbaugh called FEMA an oversized entitlement program, urged reliance on ‘faith-based organizations.’… Read the rest
Return of Book Reviewing
Sep 7th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Scott McLemee notes that journalism has its own metaphysics.… Read the rest
Scott McLemee on Views on Katrina
Sep 7th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Bush doesn’t read, but there were pictures. Niall Ferguson has an odd take.… Read the rest
