The analogy is dangerous because vermin and disease are things we seek to eradicate for our own safety.
Category: Latest News
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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
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Simon Underdown on the Misuses of Darwin
Does it make sense to blame scientists for misunderstandings and corruptions of their ideas?
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Ben Goldacre on Political Woo
An MP dismisses statistics on screening, another embraces ‘the idea of energy transfers.’
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Ben Goldacre on Research and Policy
Oddly enough, research really is relevant to policy.
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Legislators Oppose Abortion on Religious Grounds
Invoking religion on the floor of the House defies the Constitution.
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Jesus and Mo on the Plague of Atheists
They just can’t see the love, the bastards.
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His Very Popularity Should be More Popular
Normblog on Seumas Milne on hugely popular strangely neglected Noam Chomsky.
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Iran: Bastards Executed Fattahian
Many Iranians and rights groups fear government will carry out more executions to silence opposition.
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HRW on Fattahian, Iran, ‘Enemies of God’
Article 186 of Islamic Penal Code makes all members of armed groups opposed to the regime ‘enemies of God.’
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Atheists Are So Literal to See God as a Bully
God of course is all about love and compassion, and there is no reason to think otherwise.
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PZ on the Putative Deep Rifts in Atheism
There is no atheist pope, no atheist catechism, no atheist holy book.
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It’s the Placebo Effect Wot Does It
Just don’t tell the patient it’s a placebo.
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Women Lose Rights Under Healthcare Bill
Under pressure from Conference of Catholic Bishops, lawmakers added language infringing right to abortion.
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No to Christian License Plate for South Carolina
State legislature had approved a plate with a cross in front of a stained glass window; judge said No.
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AC Grayling on What a University Is For
University is emphatically not about spoon-feeding and hand-holding through courses, but the very opposite.
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Iran Must Halt Execution of Kurdish ‘Apostate’
Ehsan Fattahian was sentenced to death for ‘enmity against God.’
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Act Now to Save Iranian ‘Apostate’
Criminalization of apostasy contravenes Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
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Catholic Bishops Ruled on Healthcare Bill
Several Democrats said they consulted Catholic bishops; one said he needs bishop’s approval to vote yes.
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Catholic Power Over US Legislation
Pelosi got permission from Conference of Catholic Bishops, consulted with a cardinal in Rome.
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American-style Creationism in Turkey
The ‘proofs’ that evolution is wrong came directly from US proponents of Christian creationism and ID.