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Inevitably links go out of date.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.


Andrew Delbanco on US Higher Education *

Feb 22nd, 2005 | Filed by

It seems that Stover is back at Yale. Boo.… Read the rest



Everyone Tried to Write Like Hunter S Thompson *

Feb 22nd, 2005 | Filed by

Para 9 wrong: Thompson said it about Nixon, not vice versa. (As if Nixon had the vocabulary!)… Read the rest



Thompson Not Respectful of Politicians *

Feb 22nd, 2005 | Filed by

Affected with a high degree of intellectual independence.… Read the rest



Women in Physics *

Feb 22nd, 2005 | Filed by

If it’s difference in innate ability, what innate abilities would have changed so quickly?… Read the rest



How the Churchill Uproar Got Going *

Feb 22nd, 2005 | Filed by

Susan Rosenberg, Little Green Footballs, Bill O’Reilly…… Read the rest



Wittgenstein’s Other Book *

Feb 22nd, 2005 | Filed by

‘The improvement of spelling was astonishing. The orthographic conscience had been awakened.’… Read the rest



Prostitution Behind the Veil *

Feb 22nd, 2005 | Filed by

CBC documentary by Iranian exile on the misery of women in Iran.… Read the rest



Exorcism on Channel 4 *

Feb 22nd, 2005 | Filed by

Canon with PhD in deliverance bemoans large number of metaphysical assumptions, urges fewer.… Read the rest



Ken Is One Sorry Mayor *

Feb 21st, 2005 | Filed by

In the name of anti-racism, Livingstone perpetuates stereotype of Muslim as woman-hating queer-basher. … Read the rest



Outrage Responds to Livingstone’s Dodgy Dossier *

Feb 21st, 2005 | Filed by

Outrage refutes Livingstone’s defense of his relations with reactionary cleric.… Read the rest



Uncle Duke Does a Hemingway *

Feb 21st, 2005 | Filed by

Hunter S Thompson has killed himself with a shotgun to the head.… Read the rest



Gonzo Journalist Kept Us All Honest, Friend Says *

Feb 21st, 2005 | Filed by

‘Hunter was not only a national treasure, but the conscience of this little village.’… Read the rest



BBC Apologises for Apocryphal Story *

Feb 21st, 2005 | Filed by

No evidence of Israeli Muslim conscript jailed for not shooting children.… Read the rest



Stupid Design, Inefficient Design, Cruel Design *

Feb 21st, 2005 | Filed by

Maybe mysterious designer not ‘God’ but some mischievous or clumsy clever-clogs.… Read the rest



Malraux et la Gloire *

Feb 20th, 2005 | Filed by

Writer, action hero, politician, world-class fantasist. … Read the rest



Another Church, Another Sex Scandal *

Feb 20th, 2005 | Filed by

What do you expect from people accountable only to a supernatural being?… Read the rest



What Summers Said *

Feb 20th, 2005 | Filed by

Don’t you wish you’d been there?… Read the rest



Bloggers: Truth-tellers or Vigilantes? *

Feb 19th, 2005 | Filed by

Mainstream media clueless? Bloggers a pseudo-journalist lynch mob?… Read the rest



Women in Science Feel Underencouraged *

Feb 19th, 2005 | Filed by

Many scientists consider encouragement a major factor in seeking promotion.… Read the rest



History Can Get Buried and Forgotten *

Feb 19th, 2005 | Filed by

The Tulsa riot almost did.… Read the rest