Natural freedom is good enough, we don’t need the supernatural kind.… 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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
At Least Let Us Give Them Names 
Sep 6th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The twelve Nepalese workers murdered in Iraq had names.… Read the rest
Churchill’s Wife’s Maid’s Sister’s Daughter
Sep 6th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
OUP, publishers of Dictionary of National Biography, inflated number of women to even things out. … Read the rest
Less Famous Hostages
Sep 5th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
About 20 hostages, of a dozen nationalities, are still captive in Iraq. … Read the rest
The Aim was Humiliation
Sep 5th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Kenyan author Ngugi wa Thiongo & his wife Mary Njeeri were assaulted on return.… Read the rest
African Literature Association Reacts With Horror
Sep 5th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘all people who support freedom of the press, women’s rights, writer’s rights to free expression need to be alarmed’ … Read the rest
‘It All Started In Our Libraries’
Sep 5th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Charles Onyango-Obbo links attack on Ngugi to books with pages torn out.… Read the rest
An Abominable ‘Achievement’
Sep 5th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Abdel Rahman al-Rashed laments that terrorism has become an Islamic enterprise.… Read the rest
‘Activists’ Plan Ten Attacks a Day
Sep 5th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Animal rights campaigners threaten at least ten terror attacks a night.… Read the rest
Fry on McCrum on P.G. Wodehouse
Sep 5th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Misguided to interpret his life according to contemporary moral and psychological shibboleths.… Read the rest
Friday Afternoon, Kids Coming Out of School
Sep 5th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The idea that had we negotiated with the Taliban, kids would now be safe in Beslan, is just wishful thinking. … Read the rest
French Journalists ‘About to be Freed’?
Sep 4th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Influential Sunni Muslim organisation in Baghdad said Friday the two were safe.… Read the rest
Iraqi President Postpones Visit to France
Sep 4th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
French foreign ministry cited situation of kidnapped journalists.… Read the rest
The Nuisance Value of an Entrenched Vocabulary
Sep 3rd, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
If you can ignore it, it’s not a nuisance.… Read the rest
Deeply Though Subtly Subversive
Sep 3rd, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The aim was to replace unexamined religious belief with empirical knowledge and reason.… Read the rest
Extract From Dawkins’ New Book
Sep 3rd, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Echolocation has evolved at least four times, eyes more than forty times.… Read the rest
Another List of Ten Books
Sep 3rd, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
This one by writers with a score to settle.… Read the rest
Mob Burns Mosques in Nepal
Sep 2nd, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Violence erupted after slaughter of 12 Nepalese hostages in Iraq by Islamic militant group.… Read the rest
