Ant-semitism, Zionism, the MCB, views that others may disagree with, “Jewish schools,” “Islamophobia” – a riot of bad thinking.… 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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
Hitchens on Glenn Beck and tea partiers 
Dec 11th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Beck’s “9/12 Project” is canalizing old racist and clerical toxic-waste material that a healthy society had mostly flushed out of its system.… Read the rest
Stockholm: email threats, then explosions
Dec 11th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The writer of the e-mail mentions the presence of Swedish troops in Afghanistan and Lars Vilks.… Read the rest
AAA rejecting science?
Dec 11th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“Interpretation” opened not just one but dozens of exits from scientific rigor and was the beginning of the postmodern moment in anthropology.… Read the rest
Did Joe pull a fast one on Jesus and Mo?
Dec 11th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Oh surely not. He’ll be back tomorrow, or the next day…… Read the rest
Ashtiani forced to incriminate herself on tv
Dec 11th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“To organise a televised ‘confession’ midway through a judicial review of a serious case makes a mockery of Iran’s legal system.”… Read the rest
Vatican was “offended” by Irish requests for info
Dec 11th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Vatican dug in its heels, then had the gall to claim it “shared the outrage.”… Read the rest
American Anthropological Association: no science for us
Dec 11th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The AAA decided at its recent annual meeting to strip the word “science” from a statement of its long-range plan.… Read the rest
Discussing science and morality
Dec 10th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Simon Blackburn, Sam Harris, Steven Pinker, Patricia Churchland, Peter Singer, Laurence Krauss.… Read the rest
US: most scientists are Democrats
Dec 10th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Well no kidding. Sarah Palin anyone? John Shimkus? James Inhofe?… Read the rest
Lehrer on Lehrer on the decline effect
Dec 10th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
In poll after poll, Americans have dismissed two of the most robust theories of modern science: evolution by natural selection and climate change.… Read the rest
Coyne on Lehrer on the “decline effect”
Dec 10th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
It’s a mistake to imply that all scientific truth is simply a choice among explanations that aren’t very well supported.… Read the rest
BBC on Ashtiani “confession”
Dec 10th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
And the difficulty of getting at the truth about what is happening to her and her son and her lawyer.… Read the rest
Press TV boasts of Ashtiani show
Dec 9th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Read and feel sick.… Read the rest
Guardian reports Ashtiani is free
Dec 9th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Ecstatic campaigners hailed the news. “This is the happiest day in my life,” said Mina Ahadi of the International Committee against Stoning.… Read the rest
Ashtiani and her lawyer are free
Dec 9th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
We have got news from Iran that they are free,” Mina Ahadi, spokeswoman for the Anti-Stoning Committee, told AFP.… Read the rest
Zimmer posts full responses to arsenic article
Dec 9th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
What 13 scientists told him.… Read the rest
Martin Robbins on NASA’s arsenic debacle
Dec 9th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
It’s a story of everything that’s wrong about the relationship between science, peer review, publishing, and the media.… Read the rest
Aasia Bibi’s family is on the run
Dec 9th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Murderous thugs are panting to kill her and her husband and 5 children.… Read the rest
Rushdie gets Lifetime Achievemen Award from PEN
Dec 8th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
So there ha.… Read the rest
