‘My administration will not deny facts. We will be guided by them.’
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Inevitably links go out of date.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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Study Finds Obama Effect Lifts Black Test-takers
Performance gap all but disappeared when the exam was administered after the election.
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Taliban Threatens Swat Nightly on the Radio
Taliban enforcer announces newly proscribed ‘un-Islamic’ activities, names people killed for disobeying.
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Obama Makes al Qaeda Desperate
Bush was the perfect recruitment poster, Obama not so much.
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Vatican Accuses Obama of Arrogance
Religious dictator chosen by groupuscule of priests accuses democratically elected president of arrogance.
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Switzerland Not Eager to Introduce Sharia
Social anthropologist wrote a paper suggesting the idea, wiser heads prevailed.
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John McWhorter on Obama’s Second Language
‘Yes we can’ was couched in a Black English intonation – partly church, maybe even a dash of street.
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Bailout is a Windfall to Banks
‘We’re not going to change our credit policies to accommodate the needs of the public sector.’
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Feel Entitled Much?
Caroline Kennedy didn’t have to campaign in the same way that an unknown person has to.
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Moyers Talks to David Sirota and Tom Franks
About what they think Obama must accomplish to bring real ‘change’ to Washington.
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Reasons for Hope and Caution
‘It is too easy to dismiss the symbolism of this particular election.’
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Shami Chakrabarti: Defend Human Rights Act
Even the most enlightened president is best served by good friends holding him to his word.
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Steven Pinker on Oaths and Putative Split Verbs
In his legal opinions, Chief Justice Roberts has altered quotations to conform to his notions of grammaticality.
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Catholic Group Helps Abusive Mother
Right-wing Catholic group helped the mother get an injunction, keep children 8 more years.
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Priests Accused of Collection Plate Diversion
Gambling in Vegas, rare coins, taking mistress on expensive holidays, amen.
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Obama Lifts Restrictions on Abortion Funding
Will lift restrictions on US government funding for groups that provide abortion services or counseling abroad.
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Thousands of Americans Regularly ‘Detox’
Le Jardin Day Spa has a 30-minute ‘foot detox,’ which involves placing feet in a saltwater bath.
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Obama Issues Close Guantánamo Order
Signed orders shutting the network of secret prisons and closing Guantánamo detention camp within a year.
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Texas Board of Ed Hears Evolution Testimony
Social conservatives try to justify exposing students to religious objections disguised as scientific discourse.
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Scientists Welcome Obama’s Words
Bush administration sought to suppress the findings of many of the government’s scientific agencies.