Editorial - The HighWire

The UN’s “Non-Binding” Pandemic Declaration: Sequence In, Shot Out

Updated 2:36 PM EDT, Wed October 21, 2026

On October 12, with little to no media coverage, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Political Declaration on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response. The vote was 153 in favor and 3 against. The United States, Israel, and Argentina voted no, and New Zealand and Paraguay abstained. The scant headlines moved on within a day,…Continue reading The UN’s “Non-Binding” Pandemic Declaration: Sequence In, Shot Out

The Kind of People Who Build Bridges for Animals

Updated 6:14 AM EDT, Tue October 20, 2026

Three mule deer wandered up to a brand-new bridge near Grass Lake, in the far north of California, and walked across it. The bridge was built just for them, and other animals, and a trail camera caught them taking advantage of it. Remarkably, the bridge was not even finished being built when they used it.…Continue reading The Kind of People Who Build Bridges for Animals

From Lockdowns to Large Language Models: How AI Became the Post-COVID Companion We Never Asked For

Updated 5:54 AM EDT, Mon October 19, 2026

The Trillion-Dollar AI Boom Built on a Generation Already Isolated by COVID The date was May 11, 2023, and the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency officially ended in the United States. An entire generation of children and adolescents had been artificially masked and forced onto devices for their education and socialization. Already struggling with mental…Continue reading From Lockdowns to Large Language Models: How AI Became the Post-COVID Companion We Never Asked For

Raising Livestock, Breeding Resistance

As the world crept toward pandemic recovery in 2024, meat production in the United States rose by a mere 1 percent. A slight increase, indeed. Despite that, antibiotic sales for livestock in the United States surged during the same timeframe. Not a trickle, mind you, but a surge. Nearly 16 percent more antibiotics deemed as…Continue reading Raising Livestock, Breeding Resistance

Updated 2:03 AM EST, Tue February 3, 2026

Palantir’s ELITE: Not All Maps Are Meant To Guide Us

Many memorable journeys start with a map. Maps have been around for ages, guiding humanity on its way in grand style. Maps have helped sailors cross oceans, caravans traverse deserts, and armies march into the pages of history. Maps have been staple tools of exploration, survival, and sovereignty. And today? Today, they’re on our devices,…Continue reading Palantir’s ELITE: Not All Maps Are Meant To Guide Us

Updated 5:12 AM EST, Thu January 29, 2026

Jasmin Hume’s Take on Nutrition: Generally Recognized As Nonsense

As the self-proclaimed “world’s leading expert in AI-driven ingredient innovation,” it is worth taking a closer look at Shiru Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Jasmin Hume. As noted on the World Economic Forum’s website, Hume, a protein engineer by training with a PhD in materials chemistry—steeped in computational methods and protein design in biomedicine, not…Continue reading Jasmin Hume’s Take on Nutrition: Generally Recognized As Nonsense

Updated 5:12 AM EST, Tue January 27, 2026

Let’s Not Forget: Boredom Is Essential to Childhood

Among the myriad of harm that humanity has inflicted upon itself through both the wired and wireless world, the disappearance of wholesome boredom might be the most consequential. Indeed, there is something sacred about a child staring out a window, hands idle, and mind completely free. In today’s world of ceaseless stimulation, we’ve forgotten the…Continue reading Let’s Not Forget: Boredom Is Essential to Childhood

Updated 6:28 AM EST, Thu January 22, 2026

Why Your Couch Might Be Killing You

There is yet again another toxic product that should be on every person’s radar. This time, it turns out that the very chemicals we’ve been told make our homes safer are instead making our bodies sicker—especially our hearts. Take a moment and read that again, and no, we are not talking about the dangerous mRNA…Continue reading Why Your Couch Might Be Killing You

Updated 4:42 PM EST, Mon January 19, 2026

Unintended Consequences: Fraud Crackdown in Minnesota is Hurting the Innocent

Minnesota, the North Star State, has long carried itself as a state that cares deeply for its neighbors, invests in its most vulnerable, and protects children and families in need. But recently, as allegations of massive fraud make headlines, that narrative has been exposed as extremely weak—not because corruption in the state is a myth,…Continue reading Unintended Consequences: Fraud Crackdown in Minnesota is Hurting the Innocent

Updated 7:26 AM EST, Thu January 15, 2026