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Inevitably links go out of date.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.


Destruction of Timbuktu shrines has begun *

Jun 30th, 2012 | Filed by

Witnesses said Islamist fighters began attacking the shrines on Saturday morning, using shovels and pickaxes.… Read the rest



Mali: Islamists plan to destroy world heritage sites *

Jun 30th, 2012 | Filed by

Ansar Eddine intends to destroy all the mausoleums in Timbuktu today. [in French]… Read the rest



More vicious nonsense from Brendan O’Neill *

Jun 29th, 2012 | Filed by

Just imagine: some people think slicing off bits of an infant’s genitalia for god is “abuse”! Did you ever?… Read the rest



Washington Post on Secular Students of America *

Jun 29th, 2012 | Filed by

The SSA is helping to establish clubs for high school students to hang out with other teens who share their skepticism about the supernatural.… Read the rest



Journal of Neurophysiology looks at peer review and gender *

Jun 29th, 2012 | Filed by

If women are trusted as researchers, why do male-dominant panels outnumber female-dominant panels 15 to 1?… Read the rest



An interview with Secular Woman *

Jun 29th, 2012 | Filed by

Religions can be very controlling and patriarchal toward women. For many, secularism and feminism can be so intertwined that they cannot be distinguished.… Read the rest



What will Morsi mean for free speech? *

Jun 29th, 2012 | Filed by

Inex on Censorhips notes: many intellectuals, writers and artists worry that the sweeping tide of Islamism may lead to greater censorship and curb creativity and free expression.… Read the rest



FFRF “quit the church” billboard annoys Fox News *

Jun 29th, 2012 | Filed by

The Catholic diocese of Dallas says it’s offended. Well it would, wouldn’t it.… Read the rest



CFI announces policy on hostile conduct/harassment *

Jun 29th, 2012 | Filed by

Intimidation and harassment interfere with productive discussion and cordial interaction among conference participants, so they’re out.… Read the rest



The Dublin anti-abortion ads are wrong on the facts *

Jun 28th, 2012 | Filed by

Anti-abortion groups claim to support women, but they increase the suffering of women who have had abortions – the very women they ostensibly claim to help.… Read the rest



Anti-abortion ads in Dublin spark anger *

Jun 28th, 2012 | Filed by

The two posters, one featuring the face of a distraught woman and another showing a foetus, are captioned ‘Abortion tears her life apart. There’s always a better answer.’… Read the rest



Jordan: rape victim, 14, forced to marry rapist *

Jun 28th, 2012 | Filed by

He kidnapped her and raped her repeatedly for 4 days – then he “agreed” to marry her to avoid jail. What a fabulous arrangement.… Read the rest



International experts call for a ‘crime against free expression’ *

Jun 28th, 2012 | Filed by

In response to the rise in attacks on journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders and others targeted for exercising their right to freedom of expression.… Read the rest



Atheist acceptability on the rise in the US *

Jun 28th, 2012 | Filed by

Since secularity is quite prevalent among young Americans, it is reasonable to think the vilification of the atheism will diminish over time.… Read the rest



CFI New York to protest jailing of Alexander Aan *

Jun 27th, 2012 | Filed by
Starts Friday, July 6th 2012 at 12:30 pm. Ends Friday, July 6th 2012 at 2:00 pm. Location: Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia, 5 East 68th Street, Manhattan
Read the rest


Hilary Mantel is not a fan of the Catholic church *

Jun 27th, 2012 | Filed by

“When I was   a child I wondered why priests and nuns were not nicer people. I thought   that they were amongst the worst people I knew.”… Read the rest



New rules on who curtsies to whom *

Jun 27th, 2012 | Filed by

No really, there are rules about it. It’s very important.… Read the rest



Do Jesus and Mo wrestle with their feelings about gay sex? *

Jun 27th, 2012 | Filed by

No! Yuck!… Read the rest



Sexually assaulting Lara Croft *

Jun 27th, 2012 | Filed by

It often feels as though women can’t win when it comes to fighting sexism within gaming: you’re either derided as a “girl gamer” or decried as a feminist bore.… Read the rest



Karachi: life as a prisoner accused of blasphemy *

Jun 26th, 2012 | Filed by

Sitting in a small cell at the Karachi Central Jail, a skinny man screams for help every 10 minutes. “Please, don’t kill me,” he cries, when someone enters the room.… Read the rest