The law will serve to create martyrs – laws which criminalise free speech always do. … 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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
Anti-theism the Key to Understanding Hitchens 
Jan 25th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
His ‘defection’ from the left is rooted in his hatred of religious fascism.… Read the rest
Lost Classical Library Buried Under Ercolano?
Jan 25th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Euripides, Sophocles, Aeschylus, Aristotle…? Start digging!… Read the rest
Conservative Christians and Muslims Unite
Jan 25th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
To ‘defend the family’ by fighting progressive social policies.… Read the rest
‘Rolling Stone’ Rejects Proselytizing Ad for Bible
Jan 25th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Not in the business of publishing advertising for religious messages, manager says.… Read the rest
Humanists Worry About Religious Hatred Law
Jan 25th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Law still protects religion but not belief; blasphemy law remains.… Read the rest
Talibanization of Bangladesh?
Jan 25th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Possible to observe the increased political and religious repression in everyday life.… Read the rest
Peer Review – Necessary but not Sufficient
Jan 24th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Peer review takes time, and meanwhile, strange things can happen.… Read the rest
String Theory
Jan 24th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Is everything in the universe made of tiny vibrating strands of energy?… Read the rest
On Rousseau and the Singular Self
Jan 24th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The solitary walker, Benjamin, the afterlife.… Read the rest
Carl Zimmer on Stem Cells and Neanderthals
Jan 24th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
How do fans of Intellgent Design or Young Earth creationism make sense of these scientific results? … Read the rest
Zarqawi Declares War on Iraqi Election
Jan 24th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘We have declared a bitter war against the principle of democracy and all those who seek to enact it.’… Read the rest
Kenan Malik on the Islamophobia Myth
Jan 23rd, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The idea confuses hatred of Muslims with criticism of Islam.… Read the rest
Auschwitz Memorial Not Inclusive Enough?
Jan 23rd, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Iqbal Sacranie says Muslim Council of Britain will not attend event unless it includes Palestinian intifada. … Read the rest
Singer Takes Bush Administration to Task
Jan 22nd, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
For allowing ideology to trump empiricism and sound reasoning.… Read the rest
Todd Gitlin on Bad versus Good Reporting
Jan 22nd, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Rumors of death of aspirations for truth in favor of mere “perspective” are greatly exaggerated. … Read the rest
Not Simone de Beauvoir, More Like George Sand
Jan 22nd, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Lucasta Miller on radically free, independent, autonomous Susan Sontag.… Read the rest
Christians Worried about SpongeBob
Jan 22nd, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Critics need medication, one observer suggests.… Read the rest
Graham Larkin Replies to David Horowitz
Jan 21st, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Is the Academic Bill of Rights about ‘balance’ or not?… Read the rest
Harvard President on Women in Science and Maths
Jan 21st, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Are there innate cognitive differences, is there evidence, is it ‘offensive’ to discuss?… Read the rest
