In the Islamic Republic of Iran, a ‘judicial review’ often effectively means the regime is waiting for the opportunity to carry out its executions.… 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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
Where are all the atheist women? 
Nov 4th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Right here, Jen McCreight points out.… Read the rest
Uganda: judge tells tabloid to stop outing gays
Nov 3rd, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
High Court judge ordered Rolling Stone newspaper to stop publishing names and photographs of people it says are homosexual.… Read the rest
Thomas Nagel reviews The Moral Landscape
Nov 3rd, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Harris’s concrete moral conclusions depend on one venerable moral premise and a number of commonsense observations about human life.… Read the rest
Rand Paul in victory speech misquotes Jefferson
Nov 3rd, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Or rather, misattributes something Thoreau said to Jefferson. As Ayn Rand said, “accuracy is tyranny.”… Read the rest
Ashtiani has not been hanged yet
Nov 3rd, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Bernard Kouchner said Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told him no verdict in her case had been reached.… Read the rest
UK author convicted of insulting Singapore judiciary
Nov 3rd, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
In Once a Jolly Hangman – Singapore Justice in the Dock Alan Shadrake criticised how the death penalty is used, alleging a lack of impartiality.… Read the rest
Review of Ben Goldacre’s “Bad Science”
Nov 2nd, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
In the chapter titled “The Doctor Will Sue You Now,” the usually affable Dr. Goldacre is indeed angry, and rightly so.… Read the rest
Artist refused to be gagged, withdrew from exhibit
Nov 2nd, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“We were concerned that offence could have been taken and this may have impacted negatively on arts funding.”… Read the rest
Padraig Ready on Ireland’s head-in-sand censorship
Nov 2nd, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A photographer has withdrawn a project from exhibition after local officials objected to the text accompanying the pictures.… Read the rest
Will “new atheism” make room for women?
Nov 2nd, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“No women are currently recognized as leaders or even mentioned as a force within the movement.” Debatable.… Read the rest
Lauryn Oates on negotiating with the Taliban
Nov 1st, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The Taliban have been quite consistent in their beliefs that girls should not be educated and women who work outside the home deserve to die.… Read the rest
Nicholas Kristof tells Afghan women to get over it
Nov 1st, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Teachers and principals should not have to negotiate with deranged, violent lunatic militants for children to go to school.… Read the rest
How internet discussions of sexism go
Nov 1st, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“Sorry ladies, nothing is sexist until I say it is, plus I heart women, so lick my balls.”… Read the rest
Appiah on honour at Five Books
Oct 31st, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
His first choice is In the Name of Honor by Mukhtar Mai.… Read the rest
Salman Rushdie on Yusuf Islam
Oct 31st, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
What he said to the New York Times in 1989.… Read the rest
What was Yusuf Islam doing at the Sanity rally?
Oct 31st, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
He previously showed his commitment to peace and sanity by saying that death was the appropriate punishment for Salman Rushdie’s “blasphemy.”… Read the rest
BJP protesters besiege Arundhati Roy
Oct 31st, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Around 150 BJP members surrounded her house chanting slogans. Roy supports independence for Kashmir, which the BJP opposes.… Read the rest
PSI research: What do these numbers really mean?
Oct 31st, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The problem is not the results but how they are being interpreted.… Read the rest
New evidence for precognition?
Oct 31st, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“Rehearsing a set of words makes them easier to recall in the future, but what if the rehearsal occurs after the recall?”… Read the rest
