BBC2 controller, director of television deluged with ‘threatening’ and ‘abusive’ phone calls.… 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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
David Aaronovitch, Fluffy New Britain Optimist 
Jan 9th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
This is exactly the kind of offensive material that I want to see on TV.… Read the rest
Thousands are Offended, BBC is Resolute
Jan 9th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Rude words, nappies, Jesus, chocolate, lesbians – it all goes to show.… Read the rest
Meera Nanda on New Intellectual Betrayal
Jan 9th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Misguided attack on Enlightenment helps pseudoscience, superstitions and tribalism. … Read the rest
Conspiracy Theorists on the Job
Jan 8th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Maybe eco-weapons that cause earthquakes via electromagnetic waves were being tested. … Read the rest
Punishment-from-Allah Theorists on the Job
Jan 8th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Corruption, sin, infidels, heresy, man-made laws, fornication, sexual perversion.… Read the rest
Some Uncertainties More Uncertain Than Others
Jan 8th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The first duty is to rewrite the encyclopaedia every day – except the semiotics entry.… Read the rest
Fraud in Science
Jan 8th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Science may be self-correcting but fraud wastes money and does harm.… Read the rest
Anderson, Sowell, Crosby on Affirmative Action
Jan 7th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Affirmative action is recursive: whether it works depends on our interpretations of it. … Read the rest
Thomas DeGregori onTragedy as Teacher
Jan 7th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
How and how not to think about tsunamis; how and how not to help afterwards.… Read the rest
Were Astrologers Asleep or What?
Jan 7th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Why didn’t they mention the tsunami? And why are they still making ‘predictions’?… Read the rest
The Fight Against Poverty Neglects Science
Jan 7th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
UN advisers: potential of science and technology against poverty much more than governments realise.… Read the rest
AFL-CIO Condemns Murder of Iraqi Trade Unionist
Jan 6th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Hadi Salih was shot by assassins who broke into his Baghdad home January 4.… Read the rest
Shock and Revulsion at Torture and Murder
Jan 6th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Attack on the right of Iraqi workers to trade union representation.… Read the rest
Unionists Around the World Condemn Murder
Jan 6th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Last month at ICFTU congress Salih spoke of hopes to build a democratic union.… Read the rest
Politics of Religious Appeasment at all Costs
Jan 6th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Salman Rushdie laments collapse of liberal principles before religions’ strident demands.… Read the rest
A Culture of Conformity in the Humanities?
Jan 6th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Scholes, Appiah, Menand, Guillory and others discuss the problem.… Read the rest
Steven Weinberg on Oppenheimer Biography
Jan 5th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
He was wide open to new ideas and had the ability to understand anything.… Read the rest
Massimo Pigliucci on Nonsense on Stilts
Jan 5th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Rhetoric, mistaken claims, sweeping statements, unhelpful analogy taken for deep insight… … Read the rest
Kenan Malik on Islamophobia
Jan 4th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
And religious hatred law, on Start the Week. audio… Read the rest
